WHERE DO WE STAND?
by WannaBeWriterWB
Summary: Another E/G fic. What do they mean to each other? Are they just step-siblings? Are they friends? Are they enimies?.... ... Are they lovers?? Wanna know where they stand?... ... So do I...Chapter TEN is up. (The real chapter)
1. Default Chapter

WHERE DO WE STAND  
  
Two weeks had passed since Jake's and Tiffany's wedding. Lily offered to take care of Maddie so the *just married* couple could have their honey moon. Judy said she could handle the things at Booklovers and Eli even played one of the good guy by offering to help Judy with the 'complicated' things while Jake was out. Rick and Lily chose to wait Jake and Tiffany come back to tell the whole family that Lily was pregnant and that they wouldn't be moving to Australia. So when everything had settled, Rick and Lily proud-happily reported the wonderful news. Eli was very excited with the idea of having a baby sister or a baby brother. The girls were equally trilled but they were also kinda worried. They subconsciously knew that two of them would probably have to share a room and this idea did not please them very much. But their concerns melt away when Lily told them the baby would stay in her room.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
"Good morning!", Jessie beamed at the members of her complicated family, making her entrance in the kitchen.  
  
"Morning.", Lily replied. "Want me to cook you something?"  
  
"No, thanks. I'll just have a bagel.", Jessie said as she went to the refrigerator and took out the milk.  
  
"How you're feeling?", Rick came and put his arms Lily's waits, kissing her neck.  
  
"Oh, I'm feeling just wonderful. *We* are feeling just wonderful."  
  
"Morning everyone!!", Eli invaded the kitchen. He was unusually happy.  
  
"You're happy.", Jessie exclaimed, her ton was filled with a little of suspicion.  
  
"Anything wrong with that?", Eli smirked as he served himself pancakes. Jessie made a funny face and shook her head *no*. "Hey!!"  
  
"Hey yourself!!", Grace widely grinned as Eli sat next to her. Things between Grace and Eli were going very well lately. They've got really closer to each other. Jessie even noticed that their mild flirting was back on the scene but this time she chose to silence herself.  
  
"Um. E?", Grace called with a soft girly voice.  
  
"What favor do you want to ask me this time?", Eli figured her intentions. He knew that every time Grace dared to call him *E* was when she needed something from him. When she heard him figuring her thoughts, she made an *offended* face then she let out a snorted laugh and admitted her crime.  
  
"Okay, okay. I do need a favor. Hugh. I have to go to A.J's house today after school. Cynthia, him and me need to finish this geography project and I was wondering if you could pick me up there."  
  
"What time?"  
  
"I don't know. Around eight, eight-thirty?", Grace replied and Eli made a *oh no* face.  
  
Grace noticed he was hesitating in answering her so she figured he had already made plans for the night. "What? you're busy tonight?"  
  
"Um, sort of.", Eli slumped his shoulders.  
  
"Grace, where's my keys?", Lily ran in her purse for the keys but couldn't find them.  
  
"You're leaving already?"  
  
"Grace? The keys?", Lily warned with a bit of impatience. Grace stood up and went up, opened her backpack and took her mother's keys out. "Thank you and bye.", Lily was in a hurry because she had to see her doctor but she had forgotten to let her kids know about it. Rick went upstairs because he was going late to work that day.  
  
"Grace? Grace? Are you ready to go?", Jessie's voice reminded Grace to stop flirting with Eli and go face real life. The teenage crew grabbed their things then headed out.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Eli dropped Jessie and Grace at school. Jessie jumped out of the car and hurried to meet Katie. Grace didn't leave the passenger's sea, she remained sat there, waiting for an answer.  
  
"What?", Eli got out laughing.  
  
"So. what do you say?", Grace smirked as she unhooked the seatbelt.  
  
"About."  
  
"Can you pick me up tonight?", she reminded him. Eli squeezed his lids then opened them. He eagerly watched her. She had this cute funny beseeching look on her face. Grace gracefully pouted then she gave him a beautiful smile; one of her sweet and innocent smiles.  
  
"Alright. I'll pick you up.", Eli reluctantly gave in. Well, he couldn't resist her smile.  
  
"Thank you, thank you.", Grace playfully said then she handed him a piece of paper, A.J's address was written on it. "See you tonight. Bye *E*."  
  
"Bye, *Gracie*.", Eli mocked her, imitating Lily.  
  
* * *  
  
"Girls, it would be a pleasure to stay here with you 'til your ride comes but I got a date.", A.J ironically stated.  
  
"Oh yes, A.J. We know that it's really, really hard for you to leave us here and go suck up faces with some dumb but incredibly hot girl.", Cynthia sarcastically joked and Grace laughed at her teasing.  
  
"Exactly. Well, bye my ladies.", A.J got in his car then took off.  
  
"So, it's okay, you know, your step-brother giving me a ride home?', Cynthia doubtfully asked.  
  
"Sure, it's okay. Definitely.", Grace shrugged.  
  
The two girls waited ten, thirty, fifty minutes and no sign of Eli.  
  
"You're sure he's coming?"  
  
"Yes, I am. Something must have happened.", Grace couldn't hide how worry she was. She thought Eli could be in trouble or maybe something had happened to his mother or her mother. Cynthia could see she was a little too concerned.  
  
"I better go. I mean, we better go.", Cynthia reasoned. "Let's just get a cab or a bus."  
  
"No. Um. let's wait ten more minutes and if he doesn't show up we'll leave. Okay?', Grace still believed Eli would come to get her. The ten minutes had passed then other ten had gone too.  
  
"Grace, I'm leaving.", Cynthia informed, tired of waiting.  
  
"Yeah, um, I'm gonna call my mother and ask if she-", Grace started to speak but was cut by Cynthia.  
  
"Oh my God! Grace, is that your step-brother?", Cynthia quizzed, pointing to a guy who was making out with a girl down around the street corner. Grace, at first, couldn't make out his features so she walked towards the couple and when she could see their faces clearly she recognized it was Eli and Nina, the girl who works for her father. She was extremely pale at that vision.  
  
"It's not surprising that he's way too late.", Cynthia joked and Grace turned away, beginning to leave.  
  
"Hey, where you're going?"  
  
"I'm going home.", Grace annoyingly answered.  
  
"But why? I mean, he's-"  
  
"I am going home . alone if you don't want to come with me.", Grace burst out. Cynthia noticed she wasn't quite normal. She realized that Grace was upset with the scene she had just seen. Cynthia was a little confused because she could see that Grace was not angry at him because he was late but she was angry because he was with a girl.  
  
"Okay, let's go home. I'm tired of standing here, anyway.", Cynthia said then they walked.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
It was past midnight and Grace was still awake. She was in the living room, watching TV. The expression on her angelic face was not the most friendly one. There were about six or seven chocolate packings , laying on the couch next to her. As she reached for the remote control, she heard the front door slams.  
  
"Was that some kind of a joke?", Eli nervously inquired. Grace coldly lifted her eyes to look at his face and said nothing. She just coldly stared at him. "What the hell is going on with you? Why stood me up? I waited for you almost two hours.", Grace still remained in silence. All she did was give him a cold blooded look. " I thought something happened to you. Why did you do that? Why didn't you wait for me?", Eli angrily finish is demand, trying to sound not too loud. Grace mutely stood up, turned off the TV and began to go upstairs.  
  
"Grace??!", he called in confusion. "I'm still talking to you and you own me an explanation. Grace??!"  
  
As she trudged up the stairs, she turned her face and gave him a deathly inhuman freezing glare.  
  
Eli watched her disappear in the hall. His mind was pretty damn confused. He had no idea why Grace was being so ironically cold to him. He shook his head in disbelief then went to his garage. 


	2. Chapter two

That night, neither Eli nor Grace could get much sleep. The image of Eli sticking his tongue into Nina's mouth just kept playing over and over and over again on Grace's mind. And if that wasn't enough, the play episode came back to her brain. She could hear every single word, no, not word, she could hear every single lie that he told her that night. They were echoing in her head. *Then do it one more time, just for me.*, *Do it for me.*. *And did he have to lie about the barrette?*, she wondered as her anger grew more and more. "Why am I thinking about those things?", she asked herself out loud. Grace couldn't understand why she was so angry at him or why she kept remembering all those lies that Eli ever told her. But thinking about all the times that Eli had deceived her, made Grace come to a very disappointing conclusion; *There is no truth in him.*, she hummed at herself as she associated Eli to *Orlando*. Grace snorted heavily then covered her face, forcing herself to sleep. While Grace, mentally gathered reasons to hate her step-brother, Eli, her step-brother, desperately tried to figure why she was so mad at him. He searched every corner of his memory but couldn't find a good reason. *Is that because I made her wait? But it wasn't that long or was it?*, he confusedly wondered. Eli didn't know how to describe the way he felt about this crazy situation. All he knew was that he felt this weird thing that was keeping him awake. "Why do I bother? Why do I care if she's mad at me or not? We're not even friends.", Eli questioned himself. He was sick of that feeling. He just wanted to sleep. He turned the radio on, closed his eyes and subconsciously prayed to God that the next day this mess would be melt away.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Rick came downstairs and walked in the kitchen. He found Lily, Zoe and Jessie there. Lily was cooking eggs with bacon and fried bananas. Zoe and Jessie were having cereal as they watched Lily cooking.  
  
"Morning. Anything to eat?", Rick asked as he checked the weird food his wife was about to eat.  
  
"What?", Lily looked at him, noticing the food slightly disgusted him.  
  
"No, nothing. I'm jus not hungry, that's all.", Rick stated heading to the refrigerator . Zoe and Jessie giggled at his words.  
  
Jessie was putting her bowl in the sink when Eli and Grace came into the scene. They were coming from opposite directions so they bluntly bumped on each other.  
  
"Hey! Are you blind?", Grace blew out in annoyance.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't-", Eli tried to politely apologize but Grace didn't let him to.  
  
"Next time, look where you're going. Okay?"  
  
"Okay, but there's not need to be aggressive, Grace.", Eli spoke without realizing what reaction his thoughtless words would cause on Grace.  
  
"Wait a minute.", Grace frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "You just called me aggressive?", the room seemed to turn to them at that moment.  
  
"What's wrong with you?", Eli said annoyingly.  
  
"Well, I'm not you. So, I should say that there is nothing wrong with me.", Grace meanly insinuated.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?", Eli was doing the best her could to not shout at her right then. Grace ironically rolled her eyes at him, which made him gasp. "You know what? Never mind."  
  
"Somebody tell me what's going on here?", Lily asked behind a full mouth.  
  
"Nothing is going.", Grace and Eli got out together then they eyed each other with indifference.  
  
"Oh God.", Lily made a weird face.  
  
'What, Lil?", Rick replied.  
  
"I gotta go throw up.", Lily dashed out then into the bathroom.  
  
"Lil?", Rick called then she came back. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah. But I'm still hungry."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Mom? Can I use your car?", Grace interrupted Rick. "Oh Grace. You can't use my car today.", Lily began, pouring some milk. "Eli's with Rick's car so. Well we need mine. And you don't need it. I mean, Eli's driving you, anyway."  
  
"I'd rather ride a but.", Grace lowly chuckled at herself.  
  
"Let's go people.", Eli shrugged, grabbing his keys.  
  
"But I haven't had breakfast yet?', Grace disputed.  
  
"Neither had I and I'm not complaining, am I?", Eli snapped. Grace felt an urge to tell him to go f*ck himself but instead she just grabbed her stuff and mutely left.  
  
"Bye.", Lily exclaimed then turned to Rick. "Why are you smiling?"  
  
"I've got good news.", Rick brightly informed. "Colin found another architect to build the hotel in Australia."  
  
"And is that good news?", Lily wondered, knowing it wasn't easy for her husband to refuse an opportunity like that.  
  
"Sort of. Colin wants me to supervise the project.", he began. "This architect will have to come to Chicago once and a while so I can give my opinion about his work."  
  
"And Colin is paying you for that?"  
  
"Yep. And there's more.", he went on. "Colin mentioned me to some of his friends and *these* friends run a company together. They're going to build a new hospital, a restaurant, a new mall and two residence buildings in the next three years, starting next month. And guess who they hired to design all of them?"  
  
"Oh my.", Lily gasped in excitement. "You?!", Rick nodded and Lily threw herself in his arms. "It's wonderful."  
  
"Yeah, I know.", Rick couldn't stop smiling. "And I guess we should celebrate."  
  
"What do you mean, *celebrate*?"  
  
"Drive me to work and I'll explain you on the way there.", They stood up and left.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Eli parked next to the school sidewalk. Jessie, as usual, hurried out, to meet Katie. When Grace was with one foot out, ready to leave, Eli grabbed her arm and pulled her back in.  
  
"What you think you're doing?", she snapped aloud.  
  
Eli bent over her lap, stretching his arm so he reached the passenger's door, closing it. "Will you tell me what the hell is going on here?"  
  
Grace rolled her eyes at him, saying. "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Yeah, right. So what was that scene last night and the one in this morning?", he raise an eye brow as she looked at him in despise.  
  
"I don't know.", she played the dumb. "You don't know?", she ironically asked.  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"So, I'm not the one who's gonna tell you.", she sarcastically pointed.  
  
"Did I do something that somehow offended you? I mean, if it's because I didn't get on your friend's house on time, well, I'm sorry. Something came- ", Eli tried to bring things between them back to normal.  
  
"Are you done?', she snorted, predicting he was going to tell her another lie.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I have class.", she added as he looked at her in an awe. "Can I go?"  
  
"Go.", he got out in frustration.  
  
"Thank you.", she forced herself a sarcastic cold smile then jumped out of the car. Eli turned the car on then took off.  
  
Grace went straight to her locker, as she opened it she heard Cynthia call her name as she came along the hall.  
  
"What?', Grace snapped in annoyance as Cynthia approached her.  
  
"Hey, easy.", Cynthia said, noticing Grace was a little out of her normal behavior.  
  
Grace closed her eyes for an instant, snorted then said. "I'm sorry. What do you want?"  
  
Cynthia hesitated for a while which made Grace's annoyance grow but then she finally spoke. "There's something I need to tell you.", she began. "Okay, although you never really talked to me about whatever that was going on between you and Mr. Dimitri, I'm your friend, so it's my duty to tell you."  
  
"What?', Grace frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I know where Mr. Dimitri is working now.", Cynthia revealed and Grace's face fell in sadness.  
  
"You know what? Don't.", Grace mumbled. "There is not point in you telling me where he is. I can't go there. You know it."  
  
"But, Grace-"  
  
"I said *no*, Cynthia.", Grace didn't want to hear what her friend had to say.  
  
"See, this is not a good time. Okay? Please, just let it go.", Grace closed her locker and started out, leaving Cynthia standing there.  
  
At the class break, Grace was at the school cafeteria with A.J and Tad. They were discussing their biology project.  
  
"There you are.", Cynthia stated when she saw them there. "Hey! Grace, I need to talk to you. in private."  
  
"If it's about *that* subject, I don't wanna know.", Grace assumed it was about Mr. Dimitri again.  
  
"Don't be so stubborn. Just come with me.", Cynthia grabbed Grace by her arm and dragged her out.  
  
"I told you, I don't wanna-"  
  
"He's working as a substitute teacher in a college, here in Chicago.", Cynthia shortcut Grace. "My mom knows people who know people that work there."  
  
"What college?", Grace stammered as she looked at her friend with more interest now.  
  
"It's an University, actually. Chicago State University.", Cynthia replied.  
  
The tow girls said nothing after that. Cynthia stood there, watching Grace's weird reaction. Grace didn't move much. She just stood there with a big *I don't know what to do." look on her face.  
  
"You know, I'm feeling like visiting some colleges.", Cynthia smirked, trying to help her friend. "You know, do some research before I fell my applications. next year."  
  
"You know what? Me too.", Grace nodded, slightly smiling.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
"Hey!", Nina said, stepping closer to Eli. "You look tense.", he lifted his eyes to her in warning. "I was just talking to my friend, Jane. Well, Jane and her boyfriend are going to the movies next Saturday and she invited us to go with them. You know, like a double date."  
  
"Nina?", Eli seriously warned. "I'm not your boyfriend. We're not together." Nina felt like her face had fallen to the floor when she heard him say that.  
  
"But I thought we-"  
  
"This been fun but that is it.", he went on. "I like you as a friend. we were just fooling around."  
  
"I should've known better.", she began, seeming to be not hurt but disappointed. "I know I threw myself at you but I thought you were different."  
  
"Nina, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."  
  
"No, I know. This is my fault.", she admitted, smiling. "Friends?"  
  
"Friends.", Eli stumbled and she hugged him.  
  
Grace walked into BookLovers right when Eli and Nina were hugging each other, her face turned read in anger.  
  
"Hey, Gracie!", Judy greeted her niece. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Um, my mom told me to meet her here.", Grace barely reported, never tearing her eyes from Eli and Nina who were now chatting cheeringly.  
  
"Well, she's not here yet. Why don't you-"  
  
"I'm hungry. I'll get something to eat.", Grace lied, walking towards Nina.  
  
"Hello, Grace!", Nina beamed at her and Eli pretended he didn't see her.  
  
"Hey, Nina.", Grace replied. Her voice was a little too bossy. "You have apple pie?"  
  
"Yeah, always."  
  
"Good. So just get me two slices and coffee with cream.", Grace ordered. Nina's face seemed to puzzle when Grace told her to get her the pie and the coffee. Grace usually severed herself.  
  
"Um, you want me to bring you food?"  
  
"Of course. Why do you ask?", Grace sarcastically frowned and Eli stared her in awe.  
  
"No, it's nothing. It's just that you always served yourself. So-"  
  
"Excuse me, but I thought it was your job. You know, get people food.", Grace slightly raise her voice. "So if you don't want me to report this incident to my father, you better go and get me the damn pie. And don't forget the coffee.", Nina saw Grace was not kidding at all. She turned away and went to counter to get Grace's order but Eli told her not to. He said Grace was mad at him and that he would handle the situation.  
  
"What you're doing?", Eli asked as he moved closer to Grace. "There was no need to talk to her like that."  
  
"Excuse me, but I didn't direct a word to you, Eli.", Grace lightly yelled, catching people's attention, including Judy's.  
  
"Could you speak lower.", Eli warned, noticing the others' stare.  
  
"Why is she not bringing me my order?", inquired.  
  
"Well, because I told her not to.",  
  
"Who put you in charge here?", she angrily glared at him.  
  
"Well, when your father is not around I'm the one in charge of the café.", Eli couldn't keep his voice that low anymore so he barely screamed.  
  
"So you haven't forgotten, hugh?", Grace folded her arms and Eli frowned, not getting her point. "My father is your boss. So it means that you have to do what I tell you to. And I'm telling you to go and get me my pie and coffee, since you told that Missy over there not to."  
  
"What?", Eli snapped, not believing her.  
  
"I'm waiting."  
  
"You know what, Grace? Go to hell.", Eli burst out. "And if you want that pie so bad? Go and get it yourself.", Eli finished then went to the kitchen, leaving Grace spitting fire out.  
  
Judy began to walk in her niece's direction but Grace was so angry that she couldn't stay in there anymore. She trudged out without saying goodbye and totally forgetting about her mother.  
  
A few minutes later, Lily came in BookLovers. "Hey, Judy!"  
  
"Hey, Lil!!"  
  
"Is Grace here yet. I told her to meet here after school.", Lily glanced around the place searching for her daughter.  
  
"You just missed her.", Judy informed, placing some books on the shelves.  
  
"What? She left?"  
  
"Yeah. Grace and Eli had a little argument a few minutes ago.", Judy mumbled. "I always thought they were good friends."  
  
"They were. But now they look like enemies at a war."  
  
"But what brings you here?", Judy pulled a chair as Lily did the same.  
  
"I need an advice.", she snorted. "Colin got Rick a new job here in Chicago. And now Rick wants to celebrate it and the baby."  
  
"That's wonderful.", Judy exclaimed, smiling.  
  
"He wants us to go to Fernando de Noronha. in Brasil.", Lily stated.  
  
"Brasil!!! woaw!!!", Judy made a impressed face.  
  
"I'm not sure if I should go. I mean, the girls' school.", Lily took out of her purse a chocolate bar and a bag of peanuts and began to eat them all. Judy observed in amazement.  
  
"Are you gonna eat all that peanut?", Judy asked. "Yeah. That's all I do now. If I'm not eating I'm throwing up. If I keep on eating like this, I'll gain, at least, fifty pounds.", Lily kinda joked.  
  
"One more reason for you to go to Brasil.", Judy began. " I mean, if you're actually eating that much you say you are, in two months you will not fit in a bikini.", Judy kidded. Lily made a face and threw a peanut on Judy. They laughed a little at it.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Rick, Zoe, Jessie, Lily and Grace were having dinner when Eli furiously invaded the house. "Grace? Can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
"Good evening to you too, Eli", Rick tried to make a joke.  
  
"Not now dad.", Eli nervously stumbled as Grace ignored him. "What the hell is going on with you?"  
  
"Eli?", Rick warned then Grace stood up and went up to her room.  
  
"You had no right to talk to me or to Nina like that.", Eli yelled, making her stop on the stairs.  
  
"You asked for that.", she disputed in indifference.  
  
"No, I didn't.", he disputed back as their family watched them arguing. "I'm your step-brother, you like it or not. You need to respect-"  
  
"You're not my step-brother, Eli. I never saw you that way", she shouted. "You and I are just two strangers who happened to live in the same house."  
  
Eli snorted in disbelief. "You know, I can't stand this anymore. Grace you're nuts. And I'm going to my mom's.", Eli said, heading to the door.  
  
"And don't come back.", Grace angrily teased him and them they heard they door slams. Rick and Lily were shocked to witness that. Grace glared at them once more then rushed up to her room.  
  
"We have to talk to them about this.", Lily reason then she popped up on her chair like she had remembered something. "Eli left with your car?"  
  
"Yeah. I guess so.", Rick replied.  
  
"I need my car tomorrow. You have to leave at 6:30 and I can't drive you."  
  
"Oh, no.", Rick shrugged. "I'll call him after I take a bath."  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Henry and Karen were on the couch Kissing, cuddling and enjoying each other when Eli trudged into the house like a madman. "Oh my God. I'm sorry. I'm going to my room."  
  
Karen quickly stood up, fixing her clothes then followed her son to the kitchen. "Eli what are you doing here? Something wrong?"  
  
Eli stopped, shook his head and got out. "That girls is crazy."  
  
"Who? Who's crazy?" , Karen asked in confusion then they heard the phone rings. "Henry can you pick it up?"  
  
"Grace. She's mad at me and I don't know why. She won't tell me. She just attacks me-", Eli stopped when he saw Henry coming in.  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt but it was your father, Eli. He wants to come back there tonight because he needs his car for tomorrow at 6.", Henry reported.  
  
"Great!", Eli shrugged, not very please with that. 


	3. Chapter three

Wednesday morning had begun just as tumultuated as usual. Rick left real early because he had a meeting with Colin and his friends. Lily was a little too nauseous that morning; just looking at anything eatable made her vomit her stomach out.  
  
"Morning.", Eli sluggishly greeted Lily, Zoe and Jessie as he entered the kitchen.  
  
"Anything to eat?"  
  
"Cereal. again.", Zoe lightly joked and Jessie mouthed to Eli that Lily wasn't feeling very well. He nodded then opened the refrigerator and took an apple out.  
  
"Mom, is the baby kicking yet?", Zoe inquired, looking real hard to her mother's womb.  
  
"Oh, no, sweetie. It's soon for-"  
  
"Morning family! What a wonderf-", Grace brightly made her entrance in the kitchen but when she saw Eli sat next to Jessie, storm clouds appeared above her head. "What is he doing here?'  
  
Lily, Jessie and Zoe looked at Grace in surprise and Eli just couldn't believe how such a pain-in-the-ass she was being. "He lives here. Duhhh.", Zoe mockingly stated.  
  
"Shut up, Zoe.", Grace ordered.  
  
"Thank you, Zoe.", Eli quickly added, knowing his words would piss Grace even more. And he was right, everybody there could see she was about to lose control.  
  
"No food?", Grace changed the subject after reluctantly swallowed her anger.  
  
"I'm nauseous. I can't even think of food.", Lily shrugged with a smile. "Hey girls, Jake is driving you today. Okay? Um, you too, Eli.", as Lily finished her sentence Grace and Eli cast a single glimpse at each other.  
  
"Where's dad?", quizzed Jessie.  
  
"He left early."  
  
"Knock-knock.", Jake opened the kitchen's door. "Morning."  
  
"Morning.", they all replied.  
  
"Oh? Hey guys, I need to talk to you before you leave. To all of you.", Lily announced.  
  
"Later mom.", Grace said rushing upstairs. "I need ten minutes, dad.", she cried.  
  
"Lil?", Judy invaded the house nervously. She became a statue when she saw all those eyes staring at her. "Um. hi. every-one."  
  
"Hi, Judy.", Lily greeted back, knowing that something was not going pretty well to her sister.  
  
"Grace!!!", Jake called her really loud. "You're ten seconds are over."  
  
"I said, ten minutes.", Grace disputed, hollering from upstairs.  
  
"Come on, I gotta go.", Jake stated. "Everybody please, get your teen bodies into the car right now."  
  
Jessie and Zoe stood up, put their bowls in the sink then headed out to the car. "Bye.", they got out together.  
  
"Grace!!", Jake called again. "Bye Lily. See you at the bookstore, Judy." Jake left. Eli stood up and went to drink some water. When he turned around to take his coat he face Grace who was coming down. They swayed a little then stopped, glaring at each other.  
  
"Bye.", Eli snorted, leaving and Grace walked out without casting one single word to her mother and aunt.  
  
When Eli and Grace got to the car, Zoe was already sat on the passenger's seat and Jessie was sat by the window on the left. Eli felt an urge to tell Jake he'd rather walk to work than sit next to Grace in the car but he was running out of time. The two of them got into the car, never looking at each other. Jake noticed there was something odd about their behavior but didn't ask. He just started the car and drove off.  
  
Back in the kitchen, Judy was standing next to Lily. She was speechless, all she did was watch her sister do the dishes with a very confused look on her face. Lily stopped, turned, looked at Judy and said, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong."  
  
"Really? So what brings you here so early?', Lily made a face, knowing her sister too well. Judy snorted heavily then walked to the table and pulled a chair, sitting down. "Sam?", asked Lily taking a seat next to her.  
  
"He still wants me to go to Australia with him.", she began. "He said Jamie is going to live with him and that his son would need someone like me around."  
  
"What's wrong with that?", Lily's face puzzled. "Is it because you two don't get along that well?"  
  
"That too.", she bitterly snorted a laugh. "I'm getting the feeling that the only reason Sam wants me there, in Australia, is just to take care of his son."  
  
Lily frowned in surprise. "I don't believe that's the only reason. I mean, hugh. Sam likes you, Judy. He really does."  
  
"I know. I know.", Judy snapped. ", he said he loves me, that he's ready to settle down but I'm not sure if *this*, Sam, Jamie, Australia. I'm not sure if they're the right thing for me."  
  
"What's going on with you?'  
  
"I don't know.", Judy stood up then placed her purse on her shoulder. "Um. what about your trip? Are you going?", she switched the subject.  
  
Lily could see that her sister was really unsure of what to do with her life and that she just needed someone to listen to her and not judge her. "We're going."  
  
"Oh, that's, that's really great. Well, I gotta go. Bye, Lil.", Judy left then after a few minutes Lily left too.  
  
Jake dropped the girls at school then drove to the BookLovers. When him and Eli where about to leave the car, Jake asked, "Is there something wrong between you and Grace?"  
  
"You don't wanna know.", Eli tried to escape from answering.  
  
"Why? It can't be that bad. Com on, tell me.", Jake insisted.  
  
"You really wanna know?", Eli warned and Jake nodded. "Your daughter is crazy. She completely insane. I'm telling you, she's not mentally healthy.", Eli said in annoyance.  
  
Jake looked at him oddly. "But, um. Why do you-", Jake didn't finish his next question. Jake noticed the warning look Eli was giving him. "Um. No, I rather not to know." Eli shook his head in agreement and the went into the bookstore.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
The school bell dismissed everybody for the day. Jessie looked for Grace to offer her a ride home; Katie was driving Jessie. They searched every corner but couldn't find Grace then they assumed she had taken a bus home. They didn't now know the real reason Grace wasn't around was because her and Cynthia had skipped their last period to go to Chicago State University to see Mr. Dimitri.  
  
Cynthia paid the taxi driver then he took off. The girls walked in the campus. They strolled around for a while then Grace stopped and Cynthia asked, "What? Why did you stop?"  
  
"It's insane. This place is huge. We're not gonna find him.", Grace's fears spoke out.  
  
"Grace?! He's an English teacher.", Cynthia stated, trying to be supportive. Grace walked some inches away from Cynthia who just stood there, glancing around the place 'til she stopped when she caught a vision in the corner of her eye of two men talking. She looked at them hard then she got out. "Grace?", Grace turned around, stepping closer to her again. "Guess, it's your lucky day.", she smirked, pointing to the two men talking. Grace felt her stomach flip as she recognized one of the men. It was Mr. Dimitri. Grace's face was covered with embarrassment. She turned and slowly began to walk away. "Where you're going?"  
  
"We shouldn't have come. I'm going home.", she barely spoke.  
  
"What? No, you can't.", Cynthia rushed and grabbed her arm, trying to drag her back.  
  
"I can't do this. I almost ruined his life.", Grace ashamedly stated, looking down. "I have to get out of here before he sees me."  
  
"Oh-oh! Too late for that.", Cynthia exclaimed, nearly smiling. "He saw you already."  
  
Grace had a feeling that what she was doing was bad, really bad. She lifted her face and their gazes met. Mr. Dimitri couldn't believe it was really her. He thought it was some girl that looked like her but then she shyly grinned at him and he was sure it was her.  
  
"Go. Go talk to him.", Cynthia encouraged her. Grace took a deep breath and began to walk towards Mr. Dimitri. The other teacher he was talking to had already left the scene by then. The expression on Mr. Dimitri's face was a mixture of joy and concerning. "Hi.!", Grace only got out as she approached him.  
  
"Hi, Grace.", Mr. Dimitri stammered back in a low voice. "What, what you're doing here?"  
  
Grace couldn't tell him the truth so she lied. "I'm accompanying Cynthia. She wanted to take a look around. You know, she's doing a college research and she asked me to come with her."  
  
"Oh.", he didn't buy her excuse. "I'm working here now."  
  
"Really?!!! That's great!", she pretended surprise.  
  
They remained in an awkward silence for an instant. Neither one of them knew what to say. It was too weird.  
  
"I'm writing a new story, you know.", Grace broke and he slightly smiled. "I'm having troubles in writing the end."  
  
"Grace.", he warned, predicting what she was about to ask him. "We can't see each other anymore."  
  
"Why not? You're not my teacher anymore. It's not a crime.", she quickly spelled. "Can you help me to write the end of my story?"  
  
"Grace, I would love to but.", Mr. Dimitri snorted then he stopped and changed what he was saying. "What's the story about?"  
  
"It's about a girl and a boy and their really, really bizarre relation.", she began explaining. "It's kind nice. I think. . Is there anywhere we could get together so you could. take a look. at my story?"  
  
Mr. Dimitri laughed in embarrassment. He knew what she was trying to do but he was powerless against her. She was special and he could never deny her help. He took a piece of paper out of his briefcase then wrote something on it. "Here", he handed her the paper. "It's Christine's address. I'm meeting her tonight. Why don't you come by. um. around seven?"  
  
"Okay.", she agreed immediately.  
  
"Then you can show me. your story.", he added.  
  
"Right. At seven. I'll be there."  
  
"Good. I must go now. Bye.", Mr. Dimitri started to leave but then he paused and got out. "I missed you.", Grace allowed herself a smiled as she watched him walk away.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
"Stop!! Stop!! Stop!!", Coop demanded and Eli jolted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're hurting my ears.", Coop teased him and his face puzzled. "Have you forgotten how to play the guitar or something?"  
  
"Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad.", Eli retorted as he strummed his guitar once more.  
  
"*It wasn't that bad*?", Coop teasingly mocked him. "If my grandfather wasn't already sleeping peacefully in hell, he would drop stone dead if he listened to the crap you just played."  
  
"Oh, shut up, Coop.", Eli tossed his guitar aside then threw a coke can on his annoying friend. "I'm bored. Where the hell are Ted and Wink?"  
  
"They said they'd be late.", Coop reported.  
  
"They're almost two hours late already.", Eli disputed, checking his watch. "Go call them."  
  
"Okay, okay, ma'am.", Coop stood up and went to phone their friends. He came back after a couple of minutes then thrown out the news. "They're not coming."  
  
"Shit!", Eli exclaimed annoyingly.  
  
"Now, let's cut the crap.", Coop smirked widely. "Spell it."  
  
"Spell what?"  
  
"I'm not blind. It's obvious you're going through some kind of issue. And knowing you like I do, it's a girl issue.", Coop added and Eli confusedly shook his head.  
  
"I don't wanna talk about it.", Eli vaguely replied.  
  
"It's that Nina girl, right?", Coop insinuated the went on with his teasing. "She's totally hot. You guys moved to next base yet?"  
  
"We are not a couple. Okay.", Eli burst out, snorting.  
  
"It doesn't mean you can't-"  
  
"That is it. I'm out of here.", Eli laughed as Coop did it as well.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Grace, I really loved your story.", Christine complemented her. "You're very talented."  
  
"Thanks.", Grace shyly blushed as she put her papers in her backpack. "It's getting late. I better get going."  
  
"It was an honor to have you in my house.", Christine beamed at her and Mr. Dimitri smiled.  
  
"Okay. Bye then.", Grace said and Mr. Dimitri told her he would walk her to the car.  
  
"Thanks for doing this.", Grace murmured out as they reached her mother's car.  
  
"It was my pleasure.", Mr. Dimitri said back, nodding.  
  
"I'm really sorry.", Grace sadly spoke again. "I'm sorry I made you lose your job. I'm sorry. If I could turn back time, I would do everything so differently."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't.", he softly mumbled, surprising her.  
  
Grace lifted her eyes that were fixed on the ground in shame. She looked at him and he was slightly smiling back at her. "Do you know why we went through those things?", Mr. Dimitri questioned, already knowing the answer.  
  
"I guess.", she mouthed.  
  
"It's okay. Say it."  
  
"You and I, we're the same.", Grace lowly stated.  
  
"I'm you. just twenty years older.", he tried to joke a little. "You and I, Grace. We see the world through the same point of view."  
  
"Sorry I'd mixed up the feelings.", she apologized one more time.  
  
"It's okay.", he assured her then helped her to face her feelings again. "Grace, I know who the guy in your story is. You've mentioned him to me before."  
  
"You know him?", she quizzed confusedly.  
  
"When I started to read it I thought the character was based on Orlando from * As You Like It. * but then I realized it was about someone else.", he went, opening her eyes. "The boy you wrote about is someone you've mentioned in your journal once or twice. I know who he is but I'm not sure that you do.", his last words made he puzzle. "That's why you can't figure out the ending..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Hey! See you tomorrow??!!", Coop beamed as Eli walked out his house.  
  
"Sure!", Eli replied.  
  
"Hey, don't forget to give my number to Nina.!", Coop teased him again then went back in.  
  
Eli walked to his mother's car and placed his guitar in the trunk. Eli was feeling very weird because of what he was going through with Grace. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath then exhaled, trying to ease the tension inside of him. When he was about to open the car he saw a pictures right across the street. A picture that took him three or four minutes to believe it was real. He saw Grace with Mr. Dimitri.  
  
He didn't know what he felt when he saw them. He just felt... strange. He felt like a knife had penetrated his heart or something. He was really confused. He didn't know what to do so he swiftly opened the car, got in and lid down a little bit. He stayed there, hidden in the car watching Grace and Mr., Dimitri. He couldn't hear what they were saying but he had perfect view of the scene.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"... the answer to what you're looking for lies inside of you.", Mr. Dimitri muttered touching Grace's chest, pointing to her heart. "You're special, Grace. Don't let the fear take over your life. Don't let * Gracie * take the wheels of your life again.", Grace understood why she needed to see, at least one more time. A single tear rolled down her cheek at that moment.  
  
"Thank you.", she mouthed, smiling. Grace stared at Mr. Dimitri and he understood what her eyes were asking so he nodded, allowing her to do what her heart told her to. Grace widely smiled then she gave him a full embrace.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
When Eli saw then hugging, he felt his blood burning in anger. He had no clue why that scene bothered him so much. He only knew that he wanted to jump out of the car smash Mr. Dimitri real hard. Eli for an instant tried to control the urge of killing Mr. Dimitri but didn't succeed. So he decided to take off before he couldn't help himself from doing something he would probably regret later. He quickly started the car then made the tires sing along the road.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The sound of the tires made Grace and Mr. Dimtri part from each other. "What was that?", she frowned, gazing at the road.  
  
"Some kid... probably drunk.", Mr. Dimitri figured.  
  
"Thanks... again.", Grace stumbled, opening the car. She looked at him one more time and said. "Farewell, Mr. Dimtri."  
  
"Farewell, Grace.", Grace and Mr. Dimtri knew that it was the last time they would be seeing each other, that * it * was over and that it was time to move on. Grace started the car and drove off as Mr. Dimtri watched her with the feeling of blessing. He felt blessed because he got to know her.  
  
* * *  
  
Grace got home and found everybody in the living room, including Eli. "Grace, where were you?", Lily quizzed as Grace shrugged her coat off.  
  
"At Cynthia's.", she lied.  
  
"Yeah, right. And I'm Scary Spice.", Eli thrown out his poison in a low teasingly voice.  
  
"What did you say?", Grace heard him and she wanted some answers or start another fight.  
  
"I didn't say anything.", Eli snapped making an innocent face which made Grace groan in anger.  
  
"Don't you two think you're taking this little issue too far?", Rick tried to bring back their common sense.  
  
"It's not a little issue.", Grace disputed, glaring at Eli. "I despise him."  
  
"And I'm giving a shit about that.", Eli mumbled directly to Grace.  
  
"I'm going to my room.", Grace announced.  
  
"Grace, wait. We need to talk to you. To all of you.", Lily stated.  
  
"Not now, mom.", Grace dismissed her mother, trudging up to her room.  
  
"Did you see that?"  
  
" What do you want to talk to us about?", Jessie asked.  
  
"Well, we-"  
  
"I'm tired. I'm going to my room.", Eli didn't let Rick begin to speak.  
  
" Eli, we need to-", Lily pleaded.  
  
"You're going to talk to * her * tomorrow, right?", he made a face and Lily and Rick nodded in frustration. " Okay, then. Goodnight.", Eli snorted then left.  
  
Lily looked at Jessie and Zoe who were still waiting. "Do you want us to talk to you tomorrow too?"  
  
"Now. Let's talk now.", Zoe demanded. "I'm curious."  
  
"Well, Rick got a new contract.", Lily started. "A very good deal."  
  
"That's great, dad.", Jessie smiled.  
  
"And, well, he want us to celebrate all the good things that have been happening to us.", Lily went on. "Rick suggested that we could-"  
  
"That we could spend then days in heaven.", Rick brightly cut Lily, adding. "There's this place called Fernando de Noronha... in Brasil."  
  
"It's a very beautiful place. Well, at least that what we've been told.", Lily grinned at the girls. "I've heard that you don't even have to dive to see the fishes under the water. They have lots of beautiful beaches there."  
  
"So... what do you say?", Rick hopefully asked.  
  
"I'm packing right now.", Zoe popped up in excitement.  
  
"There's no need to rush, Zoe.", Lily laughed at her daughter's reaction. "We've got fifteen days to do it."  
  
"It's not enough. I wanna be pretty. I have to.", Zoe snapped, making Rick, Lily and Jessie laugh. "A boy in my school said that I was the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. And there's a lot of beautiful girls in Brasil. I have to look better then them."  
  
"Sweetie, you're thirteen.", Lily nodded, finding the conversation very amusing.  
  
"My point, exactly.", Zoe spoke again. "I need to get myself a boyfriend soon. I don't wanna end up like Grace."  
  
"Okay. Okay!! Time to go to bed little Missy.", Lily led hr daughter to her room, leaving Jessie and Rick alone.  
  
"What's wrong, Jess?", Rick noticed she wasn't that thrilled with the news.  
  
"I don't wanna leave mom."  
  
"Your mother is fine now."  
  
"I know but, hugh. I just don't think it's right for me to leave her. I mean, her leg still hurts and all.", Jessie explained, not telling the whole truth to her father. Jessie didn't want to leave Karen alone, that was a fact but didn't want to leave Katie either.  
  
"There's nothing for you to worry about. Henry is taking a real good care of her.", Rick reasoned and she sluggishly nodded. "Why don't you call her. Call your mother and ask her if you can go. If she agrees, great and if she doesn't you stay here with her. Deal?"  
  
Jessie thought about it for a while then agreed. She picked up the phone and called her mother.  
  
"Hello?", Karen answered on the other line.  
  
"Um, mom?! It's me.", Jessie identified herself.  
  
"Oh, hi, honey. How are you?"  
  
"Fine. Um. mom?", she began. "Would you mind if I go to Brasil with dad and everybody else?"  
  
"Um, um, um. When they're going?", Karen stammered not very pleased.  
  
"In fifteen days.", Jessie responded. "Dad got a new contract and they want to celebrate.. with the whole family. you now. So can I go?"  
  
Karen remained in silence for an instant. She didn't want o let her daughter go but what else she could do, Jessie was Rick's daughter too.  
  
"Mom? Mom?. Are you there?"  
  
"Yes, I am.", Karen got out, clearing her throat. "Sure you can go, honey."  
  
"Really?", Jessie suddenly felt very excited about the trip.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Thanks mom. um. see you tomorrow. Bye.", Jessie happily said then hung up the phone and went up to her father's room to let him know her decision. "Dad?", she softly opened the door.  
  
"What?", Rick replied.  
  
"Mom said it's okay. So. I'll go."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Um, dad?", Jessie said in pleading voice. "Katie can come with us?"  
  
Rick and Lily found Jessie's request a little bit odd. But soon they remembered Jessie and Grace were not the best of friends, Zoe was too young to hang out with and Eli, well, Eli was a boy that was enough. They weighted their options and thought that it would be unfair to Jessie so they said *yes*. Jessie's smiled reached her ears when they agreed. Rick told Jessie to call Katie and make sure she would bring to school on the next day her passport, parents' permission, ID and all she needed to get out of the country.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
On the next day, Lily and Rick tried several times to talk to Grace and Eli about the Brasil trip but they didn't give them the chance to. Both, Eli and Grace, spent the whole day out just not to accidentally bump on each other.  
  
The night came and Eli was in the living room alone. He was watching an old movie. he looked at his watch and saw it was eleven-thirty. Eli turned off the TV, stood up, stretched a little and when he was about to leave he heard some noises, laughters to be exact, coming from outside. Eli thought it was odd because he knew everybody else was already asleep or at least that was what her thought. He went to the window and opened the curtains a little so he could see what was going on out there. He saw Grace, A.J and Cynthia. Cynthia was standing next to A.J's car and Grace and A.J were having fun. It was their laughters Eli had heard. A.J kept trying to get Grace, he wanted to tickle her sides.  
  
"A.J, I have to go home.", Cynthia remembered him but he didn't pay attention.  
  
Eli kept watching A.J and Grace playing, laughing, touching each other and suddenly he felt his anger growing inside of him.  
  
"Come here.", A.J laughed out loud.  
  
"No.", Grace playfully disputed.  
  
A.J pretended to be leaving so Grace let her guards down. A.J turned around and rushed, grabbing her then lifting her up. Grace screamed in surprise. A.J leaned her down as if they were dancing tango. From Eli's spot, he only could see them very close to each other and to him they were about to kiss. Eli was furious, he shut down the curtains, exhaling in anger. Outside, A.J had Grace's but face the lawn.  
  
"I'm going to kill you, A.J.", Grace pretended to be very mad at him. But he was already leaving by then. A.J and Cynthia got into the car then took off. Grace came into the house from the front door. When she got in he living room she found Eli sat on the couch. his face was covered with hatred. She took off her coat and went to the stairs but she was stopped from going up by Eli's filled-hatred words.  
  
"You know, Grace. I never thought you were so low."  
  
"What?", she snapped, glaring at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It means that you are making those scenes, fighting with me just to cover your own dark acts.", Eli stood up and pointed his finger to her face.  
  
"What are you talking about? Are you out of your freaking mind?", Grace stepped down then walked to the couch.  
  
"What were you doing with that guy outside?", he smirked forcedly. "Weren't you supposed to be in bed?"  
  
"I don't own you explanations, Eli.", Grace groaned furiously.  
  
"What about Lily?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"What would your mother think if she knew you were with Mr. Dimitri last night.", Eli ironically raised his voice.  
  
"Shut up!", she nervously ordered.  
  
"Oh, come on, Grace.", he continued. "I never knew you were a liar. a cheater."  
  
Grace was blinded by anger when she heard his last words. "You're not judging me, are you, Eli? I mean, *you*.", Grace glared at him, sarcastically laughing.  
  
"What's the laughter about?", Eli yelled.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Lily and Rick were woken up by Grace's and Eli's yells. "Rick? Rick? Wake up.", Lily called, her voice filled with sleep.  
  
"What?", he yawned.  
  
"Do you hear that?"  
  
Rick sat up and listened more carefully. "It sounds like Eli and Grace."  
  
"They're fighting again.", Lily figured, getting up.  
  
"Where you're going?"  
  
"Make sure they won't kill each other.", she lightly joked then Rick followed her.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Grace was still laughing, ironically laughing. "Why are you laughing? Are you crazy?", Eli annoyingly inquired.  
  
"Crazy? No. I'm not crazy. I'm laughing at you.", she firmly stated.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You're a joke, Eli.", Grace attacked him and he frowned. "You said I'm a liar. a cheater."  
  
"And?", he snapped, doing the best he could to not do anything stupid.  
  
"Who are you to judge me, Eli?", she shouted again. "You're a loser."  
  
"Stop it!", ordered, yelling.  
  
"You don't know what to do with your life. You're worthless. A pot addicted . The only reason you're still working at the bookstore is because my father and my aunt feel sorry for you."  
  
"Shut up, Grace!", he screamed louder, trying to make her stop.  
  
"You are a loser, Eli.", she laughed meanly again. "You are nothing, a zero, nada."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"What? Are you angry? What you're gonna do? Hugh? Hit me?", Grace mocked his reaction then she realized he was *this* close to actually be aggressive to her. "You are going to hit me, aren't you?"  
  
"I said, shut up!"  
  
"Oh, come on! Show me what you've got, Eli.", Grace kept pushing him "Bring it on!"  
  
"Grace, I'm telling you STOP IT!", he warned her one ore time.  
  
Grace furiously looked into his eyes and got out. "Aren't you man enough?"  
  
"I SAID, SHUT-THE-HELL-UP! DAMN IT!!!!", Eli couldn't help himself anymore. He out of the sudden, angrily grabbed the little table that sat in front of the couch then throw it on the first thing he saw which was the wall. His furious action made Grace shiver in fear, not only her but also Rick, Lily, Jessie and Zoe, who were watching the whole scene without being noticed.  
  
"ENOUGH!!! ENOUGH!!", Rick jumped in, yelling at them. Grace and Eli gazed at him I surprise.  
  
"Jessie, Zoe. go to your rooms. Now!", Lily didn't give the girls no choice but go to their rooms. They left silently, knowing their presence there would only make things worse. "What got into you?", Lily turned to Eli and Grace who were with their eyes fixed on the floor, not in shame but because they didn't want to his parents see how angry they were.  
  
"Eli?!!", Rick shouted.  
  
"Gracie!!!", Lily did the same then they glared at their parents.  
  
"Are you nuts?", Rick inquired, not understanding the reason why their stupid fight got to that level. The teenagers remained in silence.  
  
"I can't. I don't wanna deal with this right now.", Lily spoke. "Grace, go to your room. now."  
  
"You too, Eli.", Rick added and they began to leave then Rick said again. "But don't you think you're going to get rid of this because you won't. We're going to seat and talk about this tomorrow so get prepared.", Grace and Eli walked out the scene then Rick and Lily went back to their room.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"URRRRRURRRR!!!!!", Grace groaned angrily as she fell heavily onto her bed. "I HATE HIM!!"  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Did you hear that?", Lily quizzed at Rick when she heard Grace yelling that she hated Eli. "What are we going to do about them?"  
  
"Nothing.", Rick replied, placing the covers over their bodies.  
  
"*Nothing* is not an answer.", Lily sat on the bed. "I don't think we should go to Brasil anymore."  
  
"What?", Rick snorted lowly, seating up too. "Why?'  
  
"You saw what just happened. We can't go. at least not until we solve the Grace and Eli problem.", Lily pleaded.  
  
"He's nineteen, she's seventeen. They're old enough to take responsibility for their stupid acts.", Rick reasoned.  
  
"What if something like that happened in Brasil?", Lily's concerns spoke again. "I don't wanna go and have to worry about them. It's too much. We're not going. I'm calling the hotel in the morning to cancel our reservations.  
  
"No, you're not.", Rick got out, thoughtfully and she raised an eye brow.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We're going."  
  
"I don't think that I. Grace and Eli, I mean-", Lily confusedly try to express her thoughts.  
  
"I said *we*, *we* are going.", Rick got out, emphasizing the word *we*. Lily got what he meant but was still confused so he explained. "I know what to do. Don't worry.", Rick began to explain his plans to Lily.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"It doesn't sound like a punishment to me, Rick. It sounds more like an exotic vacation.", Lily stumbled after Rick had finished his explanation. "Do you think it's going to work?"  
  
"Oh, yeah.", Rick nodded, smiling.  
  
"Don't you think it's a little risky?"  
  
"No. Remember, they'll have each other.", Rick joked.  
  
"That's exactly what I'm worried about.", Lily sighed, laying down.  
  
"I'll call Sam tomorrow morning then we'll talk to them.", Rick laid down as well, turning off the lamp.  
  
* * *  
  
Eli was sitting on his bed, Grace's words kept echoing in his brain as he saw the picture of Mr. Dimitri and Grace hugging then Grace and A.J together over and over on his mind. It wasn't helping him. Those thoughts only increased his fury. He was dreadfully furious. He couldn't think clearly that night. He knew he was mad at Grace but, in the beginning he was mad at her because he didn't know why she was mad at him and now he thought that the only reason for her to act like a lunatic was because she wanted to direct her mother's attention to their fight so she could secretly see Mr. Dimitri. He felt used as that thought haunted his mind.  
  
"I HATE HER!!!!", he hollered angrily.  
  
Eli felt like his heart would burst out if he didn't find a way to release his anger. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted to clear things out but he knew if he went up to her room, he would end up being extremely aggressive to her.  
  
He exhaled then glanced around his room. He saw his guitar then he remembered he was never good in dealing with his problems but it always helped when he sang them out. He stood up, took his guitar in his hands and began to strum a few notes. Eli felt like a light bulb shone above his head. He reached for a paper and a pen then he wrote.  
  
After about twenty minutes Eli had a brand new song written down. A song about his feelings at that moment. He couldn't remember what he had written, he just remember the melody. He again took a deep breath, place the paper in front of him so he could read it then started playing and singing...  
  
*I wish I could see into the dark of the world  
  
Where lays all that you want  
  
To transform myself into what you care  
  
Then maybe I could see...  
  
What are the colors and the stars  
  
That will lock you up to me  
  
I dreamt we were apart and now I'm crying  
  
That's why I need you here  
  
I wonder if you still care for me  
  
I wonder if you still care...  
  
There are times that I hate you for almost a second  
  
Then I love you more  
  
Your eyes, your smile and all about you  
  
That haunts me day and night  
  
What are the colors and the stars  
  
That will lock you up to me  
  
I dreamt we were apart and now I'm crying  
  
That's why I need you here  
  
There are times that I hate you for almost a second  
  
Then I love you more  
  
Your eyes, your smile and all about you  
  
That haunts me day and night  
  
What are the colors and the stars  
  
That will lock you up to me  
  
I dreamt we were apart and now I'm crying  
  
That's why I need you here  
  
I wonder if you still care for me  
  
I wonder if you still care... la, la, la, la, la, la.... 


	4. Chapter four

On the next day after Rick had called Sam, him and Lily decided not to tell Eli and Grace about what they had planed for their *punishment* or about the Brasil trip. They called Jessie and Zoe and told them to not mention a single word of the trip to Eli and Grace, they also asked the girls to talk to Karen and Jake and ask them to keep secret too and they did it so.

During the following days the family acted like nothing had happened. Everything went back to normal except for Grace and Eli who were not speaking to each other. They subconsciously  thought it would be better if they didn't speak or even cast a look at each other because they didn't want to upset their parents anymore, so they just pretended that the other did not exist.

On the fifteenth day, after the dinner, Rick and Lily told Jessie and Zoe to stay in their rooms then they called the angry teenagers to talk, when  Eli and Grace came to the living room they saw, about six or seven bags laying on the floor behind the couch. They placed themselves sat as far as possible from each other then the parents thrown out the news.

"What are the bags for?", Grace casually asked.

"Um... we'll explain in a minute.", Lily spoke. "Well, um... um... Rick got a new contract, it was about twenty days ago.", Lily explained and they stared her with not much interest. "We talked and decided it would be nice to celebrate it... so we decided to take a ten days trip... ... to Brasil...  you know... with the whole new family.", their foreheads furrowed when they heard her say *Brasil*. "That's what we were trying to talk to you about. like… for the past, I don't now... sixteen, seventeen days, maybe.", Lily went on and they still seemed to be very bored and not caring too much about what she was saying.

"But after that *fatal* night that you two almost killed each other.", Rick jumped in a sarcastic and mean tone. "We began to have second thoughts about the trip."

"Mom, I'm sorry for what happened.", Grace seemed to care now.

"You don't have to cancel your trip because of us.", Eli interrupted Grace and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Well, I thought about canceling it but Rick convinced me not to.", Lily cautiously continued her explanation.

"That's right. I told Lil that you were old enough to take responsibility for your own acts.", Rick spoke again and they lowered their eyes as if in shame then lifted them again.

"It means that... we're going.", Lily snorted and they didn't seem to be very thrilled with the idea of spending ten days in a tropical paradise with each other.

"Lily, um... what happened that night will not happen again.", Eli wanted to show he was sorry but the parents could say he was trying to ease their concerns.

"That's right, Rick. You won't have to wor-"

"I guess you misunderstood what Lily just said.", Rick cut Grace. "She said *we* are going... *we*."

"Oh?!", Eli and Grace got out surprised but not that much. Rick and Lily observed them for a while and they realized their kids were actually relieved because they didn't have to travel together anymore and that they didn't care if they were not going at all.

"But...", Lily caught their attention again. "... we were confused of what to do with you."

"We talked and talked and realized it wouldn't be fair ... us leaving town to spend ten days in heaven and you stay here... you, Grace at you father's and you, Eli at Karen's... apart from each other.", Rick ironically pointed and the two began to wonder what he was talking about.  

"Did you know that Sam owns a cabin?", Lily asked in a sarcastic weird tone.

"Yeah. Judy mentioned it once.", Grace said, frowning.

"Why?", Eli added also with frowns on his face.

"Because that's where you're going to spend the next ten days.", Rick triumphantly got out.

"WHAT?", Eli and Grace snapped aloud in totally and completely surprise.

"What are you talking about?", Grace nervously quizzed as the parents amusingly observed their reactions.

"Don't worry. You'll love the place. It's in the woods... there's a lake nearby, it's very beaut-"

"You can't be serious about this.", Eli nearly shouted still not believing in his father.

"Mom, are you crazy? We can't go there-", Grace was about to pour out tons of reasons why her and Eli could not go to the cabin and stay ten days together but Lily didn't give her the chance to continue.

"Oh yes! You can and you are going.", Lily sounded more serious then instants before. "And if I were you I'd start packing right now.", the confusion and anger in their minds grew.

"We're driving you there tomorrow morning at six.", Rick added.

"But dad-", Eli tried to speak but was shortcut by his father.

"No *buts* , Eli."

Grace and Eli barely could contain their fury inside. They got up, frowns on their faces, glared at their parents and walked out on opposite directions; Grace up to the stairs and Eli on the kitchen way.

"Gracie, don't forget to bring with you lots and lots of books.", Lily made them stop and listen again.

"Oh, yes. Don't forget your guitar, E.", Rick smirked meanly . "I mean, in a place with... no phone... and no electricity, you will have a lot of time to-"

"-read-", Lily smiled.

"-play the guitar-", Rick added.

"-and of course... lost of time to talk.", Lily finished.

"I can't believe this!!!", Grace nervously shook her head in disbelief continuing up. Eli only snorted heavily in annoyance then leaving to his room.

"Do you still think it's the best to be done?", Lily doubtfully asked her husband.

"It is, trust me."

*

*

*

Saturday morning, Lily, Rick and Zoe were already up. They were in the kitchen having breakfast. Jessie was at his mother's and Grace and Eli still hadn't shown up their faces.

"Good morning people.", Judy brightly exclaimed as she entered the house.

"Ju-Ju.", Zoe beamed , hugging her aunt.

"What you're doing up at six in the morning?", Judy asked her niece.

"Thanks, Judy.", Lily stumbled, smiling.

"It's okay.", Judy replied, glancing around. "Um... where are they?"

"Gracie!!! Eli!!!!!", Lily called out loud then after a while the stubborn ones came into the kitchen. Judy looked at them and noticed they weren't glad at all.

"You guys don't look like you're going to spend ten days in a paradise."

"I feel like I'm going to spend ten days in hell.", Grace mumbled under her breath and Eli gave her the *same here* look

"Grace.", Lily warned. "I heard that."

"Dad?"

"What, E?"

"You said yourself that I'm old enough to be responsible for my acts.", Eli began his pleading and everybody looked at him. "So, I guess it means that I'm old enough to decide whether to go or not. I don't know why I just can't stay at mom's."

"Well, I'll tell you why, Eli.", Rick gazed at him with a superior air. "As long as you live under my roof... you'll do what I want. Now, can we go?", Eli and Grace rolled their eyes in annoyance.

"We won't take too long.", Lily informed Judy.

"I know.", Judy grinned, "Bye guys."

"Bye.", Zoe cried as they headed to the car.

~

~

~

In the car, on the way to Sam's cabin, all that Grace and Eli did was stare at the road and think. They thought of their situation. They thought about it a lot. 

Eli kept listening to the lines from the song he wrote fifteen days before. *There are times that I hate you for almost a second, then I LOVE YOU more...*, it echoed in his mind again and again. *What is that supposed to mean?*, he wondered, exhaling. His heart was trying to tell him something that his brain denied. It tortured him and it tortured Grace too.

Grace was confused, frustrated. Her mind was too full of useless thoughts. Thoughts that made her hate him even more. But Grace knew she wasn't that mad at him. Part of her wanted him to disappear and part of her just couldn't adjust to how things between her and him were going... she , deep inside wanted they to be how they used to... but she couldn't let it show.

After almost two hours on the road, they finally got to the cabin. The place was incredibly beautiful. "Here we are.", Rick got out as he turned off the car.

"Oh, Rick... this place is beautiful!!!", Lily exclaimed, taking a look around the place.

"It's okay.", Grace mumbled

"Not that bad.", Eli added. Rick and Lily could tell their kids had loved the place but were too proud and stubborn to admit it.

Rick opened the door and they stepped in. "Grace, you have the bedroom and Eli... the couch is all yours."

"What?", Eli snapped and Grace looked at him in despise 

"What did you expect, Eli?", Rick ironically pointed. "It's a cabin not a mansion."

"Well, we better get going.", Lily snorted after checking her watch and Rick agreed. Lily gave Grace a bit hug then she hugged Eli too.

"Bye , E... Grace.", Rick said goodbye and Grace and Eli walked them to the car. 

Before Lily got into the car she wisely advised them in a very unique sarcastic tone. "Have fun!!! And remember.... don't kill each other!!!", the kids made an annoyed face then began to wave until the car disappeared along he road.

*

*

*

During the rest of the day Grace and Eli tried to stay as far as possible from each other. Grace stayed locked in the room and Eli outside on the porch, playing his guitar.

At around eight p.m, Grace decided to come out of her private prison and go cook something to eat. When she got in the living room/kitchen she found Eli there, collapsed on the couch. She looked at the table next to the stove and saw that Eli had already eaten. She began to run through the pans and Eli finally found the courage to say something.

"Do you want me to help you to cook something?"

"I don't need your help.", Grace strong-coldly got out.

"Hey! Easy!!", he snapped. "I was just being polite."

"Oh, yeah!! That's your specialty, Eli.", Grace sarcastically retorted.

"What is your problem?", Eli screamed. "What the hell have I done for you to hate me that much?"

"You don't know?", she quizzed, frowning and he nodded. "You're unbelievable!"

"At least, I'm not mad at you for no reason.", he disputed, standing up.

"I'm not the one who started this whole fight thing in the first place.", she groaned and he confusingly puzzled. "You were the one that came shouting at me that night."

"You stood me up for two hours! For God's sake!", 

"Only because you deserved it.", she stumbled aloud. 

"Why do you say that?", he inquired and she rolled her eyes not answering him. "Why? Why, Grace? Tell me!"

"You lied to me, Eli.", she got out. "That's why."

"What? I never lied to you. Are you-"

"You're lying right now.", she accused him, turning back to the stove, pretending to try to light it up.

An embarrassing silence filled the room for an instant then Eli broke it, accusing her back. "You're a liar too, Grace."

"Don't try to put the blame on me."

"You lied to meet that creep teacher of yours. I saw you . Remember?", he finger pointed to her face.

"It only happened because you were probably spying on me.", she jolted furiously and he sarcastically faked a laughter.

"You know, I guess you're watching too much TV.!!!", he stated. "I just accidentally happened to see you with him . That's all."

"Well, you're not the only one who accidentally happened to see something you were not supposed to.", she quickly snapped back.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you with that whore named Nina.", she hollered. "That's why I say, you're a liar. You could, at least, have told me you couldn't go to pick me up or said that you would be late or something but no, you had to play me for a fool. Make me wait for over an hour. I thought something had happened to you. Do you have any idea what I felt when I saw you making out with that girl while I was worried about you?"

"That's what it's all about?", he quizzed, not believing she was pissed with him because of such a silly thing.

"That was not the first time you lied to me.", she began to low her voice a little.

"When I lied to you, Grace?"

"What? Do you want me to name them?", she frowned.

"Please."

"Well... you lied about the play. You said you would be there and you were not. You lied about the barrette. You lied about college . You lied about the pot. You lied about your job. You lied about Nina. You lied to me, to your father, to your mother. You lie about everything and to everybody. You even lie to yourself, Eli. It's pathetic!!", Grace quickly burst out his flaws. Her words made him feel like he was truly nothing.  He felt like the worthless of the worthlesses.

"Well, at least I don't have to offer myself to someone I'm interesting in.", he began. "You think I didn't know that you threw yourself at that old guy? You said I'm pathetic but… what about you? Hugh?  I bet you even had to do the job all by yourself and that he just laid there, bored as you proceeded. You know how guys call girls who do what you did? ... Sluts... Whores... BITCH!!!!", the last dirty name was directly spoken to her. Grace felt so humiliated and at the moment Eli uttered the last word she, without a second thought, slapped his face real hard. They stared at each other for a few seconds. He could see she was deep down hurt. How could he say such a thing about her? It was mean and he knew it. He did it because he wanted her to fell as worthless as he felt and he succeeded. Tears slowly streamed down Grace's face then she mutely ran into the room and once again locked herself in. She collapsed onto the bed and cried.

Eli remained motionless for a quite while. Her slap hadn't hurt him as much as his own bitter words. As he spoke them, he felt like his heart was being ripped out. He shouldn't have said those things, he knew that but it was too late. He had deeply hurt her and himself. He was so sorry, so sorry that he could no longer suppress his tears; he felt them rolling down his cheeks. It was a bittersweet feeling as they fell. "Oh... damn it!", he only murmured. "No, no, no.", Eli said then staggered to Grace's door. As he reached it he knocked real hard, several times. "Grace!!? Grace?!! Listen to me. I'm sorry. I'm... I'm really sorry. Please. Grace?!! Grace??! Do you hear me? Grace?? Grace?? GRACE??????", and he got no reply. She couldn't speak, she was too weak for that and she couldn't look at him at that moment. No, she couldn't, she wouldn't and he knew that.

Eli exhaled heavily, trying to find a way to fix his stupid mess but how could he?. He was never good in showing his real feelings. It was like Grace fairly accused him; he was a liar but it was no time for lying. He had to let his heart speak. As he desperately wondered what to do, he absently started humming a song which made him puzzle because the song he was humming never really meant anything to him, he didn't even like it. But he kept on humming it... once, twice and it was like a light bulb shone above his head. He started to remember its lyrics and he realized why he was humming it to himself. He couldn't say his feelings but he could sing them through his own songs or through somebody else's. He looked at the closed door, searched for strength within and when he found it, he song out loud...

*Hey,

 If we can't find our way out of these problems

 Then maybe we don't need this

 Standing face to face

 Enemies at war we build defenses

 And secret hiding places...*

As she heard him sing those words she couldn't believe it was true. * Was he really sorry? * , she wondered. She had serious doubts about that so listened to him a little more...

*I might need you to hold me tonight

 I might need you to say it's alright

 I might need you to make the first stand

 Cause tonight I'm finding it hard to be-...*

Eli choked at the last words of the song. He knew what they really meant. But was he ready to say them? Was she ready to listen? It ached him inside. Eli touched the door then slowly leaned his head 'til his forehead touched it too and then he kept on singing...

*Hey

 More than angry words I hate this silence

 It's getting so loud

 Well I wanna scream

 But bitterness has silenced these emotions

 It's getting hard to breath...*

Grace now was with her ears glued on the door, so she could listen to his words more clearly. Outside Eli had stepped a few inches away from the door as the song translated his feelings...

*So tell me isn't happiness

 Worth more than a gold diamond ring?

 I'm willing to do anything

 To calm the storm in my heart

 I've never been the praying kind 

 But lately I've been down upon my knees

 Not looking for a miracle

 Just a reason to believe...*

When he sang the word * believe *, Eli felt the anger and desperation trying to take over him again so to release his pain he, without noticing, kicked the door with all of the strength he had in his body. His action frightened Grace a little but by then her tears had become only stains on her angelic face... her tears were no longer flowing because a warm feeling was gradually full-filling her hurt heart...

*I might need you to hold me tonight

 I might need you to say it's alright

 I might need you to make the first stand

 cause tonight I'm finding it hard to be-...*

Again he choked at the words and again he could not say them. Grace was almost convincing herself to open the door when she thought he had stopped singing but then she heard him again...

*Do you remember not long ago?

 When we used to live for the night time

 Cherish each moment

 Now we don't live we exist

 We just run through our lives

 so alone

 That's why you've got to hold me...*

Eli felt the hate, the anger, the fury slipping out of his essence. He fell backwards against the wall that faced the door and slowly slid down until he laid on the floor, sat as he went on...

*Hey,

 If we can't find our way out of these problems

 Then maybe we don't need this

 Standing face to face

 Enemies at war we build defenses

 And secret hiding places

 I might need you to hold me tonight

 I might need you to say it's alright

 I might need you to make the first stand

 Cause tonight I'm finding it hard to be-

 I might need you to make the first stand

 Cause tonight I'm finding it hard to be your man*

He said it. Her heart soared when she heard him sing * your man *, she knew in her heart what those words meant, he knew it too. After his final words, the silence dragged in its awkwardness. Nothing, she heard nothing. He had stopped. She knew it was up to her to take the next step but she was still too hurt... still confused, she wasn't ready to open that door, so she just laid on the bed and waited... waited... as he waited outside in silence...   


	5. Chapter five

Okay, this is the last chapter that had to be fixed. It was posted before as some of you know. I changed and added a couple of stuff (I thought there was something missing) and I hope you like it. This chapter has three songs, I know, I know it's a lot but I do believe that songs can truly translate what people feel. I hope you like this one too.  
  
Just one more thing., I wanna thank all those who reviewed this fic. I really appreciate that, people. Your comments mean the world to me. Thanks. And I give you my word that within eight or ten days I will have chapter six posted here.  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
Grace waited three long hours. She desperately tried to force herself to stop thinking of Eli and get some sleep but her hard trying was all in vain, all she could do was wonder... wonder what he meant with that song... she kept wondering why; *Why do I fell this way? Why was I mad at him? Why is it happening? Why? Why? Why is he who he is? Why am I who I am? Why? Why do I have to feel this way? Why can't I figure what really is going on? Why all these feelings mean?*, Grace wondered over and over, knowing deep down inside that an only one word would answer her thousands questions... the only word she was dreadfully afraid of saying. How it tortured her. and how it tortured him.  
  
Grace got up and walked to the closed door. She silently tried to capture any noise coming from outside but she heard nothing. Her heart wanted Eli to be still outside the door waiting for her. She grabbed the knob , closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She silently mouthed a prayer that he would be there then she slowly opened the door... as she opened her eyes, she caught the vision of Eli sat on the floor, his arms embracing his legs, his face buried in between his arms. ., she mutely watched him.  
  
Eli's heart froze for a second when he heard the door opening. He sluggishly lifted his face and their gazes met. He stared her. Her eyes were still red as blood because of her crying. Eli lowered his face again in shame and Grace, in silence, took a seat on the floor by his side. They remained, sat in that loud silence for a quite long time, never facing each other... until Eli weakly mumbled a few words.  
  
"I'm sorry, Grace. I'm really... sorry."  
  
"It wasn't your fault.", she lowly said back, lifting her eyes to look at him. "I started this whol-"  
  
"No. No.", he spoke again, gazing into her eyes. "You're right. I lied to you .... to everybody... to myself. You had all the right to be mad at me."  
  
"No, I didn't.", she softly snapped. "It's your life, Eli. It's up to you to choose if you wanna tell me the truth or not. I had no right to judge you... to impose myself in, in your life...If you don't want to tell me stuff about you, I understand. I'm sorry if I-"  
  
"Grace, having you in my life was the best thing that ever happened to me.", he got out quickly, cutting her. "I, I was the one that was imposing myself in your life... ... I had no right to say those things about you and, and that guy just because I was. just because I was jealous.", when he uttered the last word she got a little confused and he saw it in her eyes so he broke it down. "I had no idea why you were mad at me... why you had pushed me aside. I was mad because I wanted to have what we had back. I wanted us to be... to be like we used to and then when I saw you with him... I just felt like you ... you, you... I felt like I was. like. like I was all alone again."  
  
"You're not alone, Eli.", she firmly stated. "And ... it's so weird.", she mumbled and he puzzled. "When I saw you with Nina... I kinda felt like... like you didn't need me anymore and that I was alone ... again."  
  
"How could you think that?"  
  
"You thought the same thing when you saw me with Mr. Dimitri.", she replied and he embarrassingly snorted a bittersweet laugh. "It's just ... weird. You know?"  
  
"Yeah, I know.", he mumbled and silent filled the place again.  
  
Eli looked down, looked up, stared at the ceiling... at the floor as Grace kept nodding her head, staring at nowhere. It still felt really weird; they knew it. There were a lot of things that had to be spoken but the courage was slowly slipping out of their bodies so before it was all gone Eli spoke again. "I know that... the things I said to you ... are unforgivable but I only freaked out because. because. I guess I was.. . I was scared."  
  
"Scared?", Grace frowned. "Why?"  
  
"I thought I had lost the best thing about me.", Eli whispered unsurely, gazing into her big brown eyes. "I was scared 'cause I thought I had lost you. 'Cause you, Grace, you are the best thing about me.", he confessed and she lightly smiled. "Could you ever forgive me?"  
  
Grace snorted, shaking her head confusingly. She squeezed her lids and got out softly. "Lots of untrue things were spoken by both of us. What you said to me hurt and in a very funny and confused way it still hurts. But I was way out of line too. So..."  
  
"I guess the question is... where do we stand?", Eli lowly inquired.  
  
"Where we always have.", she answered after a taking a long pause. "... in this beautiful and confusing friendship."  
  
"So. we're friends again."  
  
"Yes, we are."  
  
"Thank you.", he mumbled  
  
"Well, it's late... so-", she began, trying to put an end in their conversation.  
  
"Guess we better go to sleep. We had a real hard day. Hugh?!!", Eli slightly joked and she laughed a little. "Night, Grace."  
  
"Night, Eli.", Grace stood up and went back to her room, her heart was a way lighter then minutes before. Eli watched her close the door then he got up and headed to living room and collapsed on the couch, feeling like things between him and Grace would never be *normal* again and if he was smart enough, he would try to make things between then reach a state where neither one of them would be able to deny.  
  
* * *  
  
For the following days, Eli and Grace spent them laughing, joking, being very friendly to each other. Every thing they did turned to be a great opportunity to touch each other, to hold each other. Grace cooked to him every night and Eli always sang a beautiful song to her, she also read some poetry to him, Eli complained a little about the poetry thing and he mocked her too but she kinda put him back to his place.  
  
In the fifth night at the cabin, when Grace was getting ready to sleep, Eli invaded her room, he had one of his smiles stained on his face. "What?", she snapped jokingly.  
  
"Um. nothing.", he snorted as he jumped onto the bed.  
  
"Eli?!!", she laughed. "I'm tired. I wanna sleep."  
  
"Tired? Of what?", he disputed, kicking his shoes off. "Oh, I get it. Spending the day doing absolutely nothing at all, really, really take out anybody's strengths."  
  
"Shut up!", she smiled, hitting him with the pillow. "What do you want?"  
  
"Talk. What else?"  
  
"We talk all the time."  
  
"Oh, come on, Grace! Let's talk. I'm sure there's plenty of things about you that I don't know, yet.", he stated and she made a funny face. "Come on, tell me your darkest secrets."  
  
"Eli, I'm not you. I don't have dark secrets.", she playfully defended herself.  
  
"Sure about that? Um? Um?", Eli began crawling on her bed, making a face that she had no way out of what he was about to do. Grace knew what he was doing and began to say *no* but he wouldn't listened. He grabbed her, rolled themselves so he laid onto her then he non-stop tickled her sides, making her melt into fits of laughter.  
  
"Stop, Eli!", she ordered laughing and he didn't obey. "I hate you!", she playfully cried.  
  
"No, you don't. You love me!", Eli playfully joked but when he said it, something hit them both . They, for a second, looked at each other in a different way. It was like they almost knew what was about to come but Grace didn't let the silence to continue so she disputed.  
  
"I do hate you, Eli Sammler!!", she laughed again.  
  
"Oh? Really?", to punish her Eli tickled her sides more and more as she kept on trying to make him stop...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The night had gone by and the first sun lights slowly invaded the room. Eli felt the light on his face so he sluggishly opened his eyes and as he did he felt *something* within his embrace. He lifted his head and found Grace softly sleeping in his arms. Their games were so fun that they had *accidentally* fallen asleep. And now he was with her in is arms. He almost couldn't believe in his eyes. His heart soared as he watched her sleeping. Eli felt something he could not put into words. She seemed so beautiful, he thought. He wanted to stay there and watch her 'til the end of times but he knew he couldn't let her wake up and find him there, *sleeping* with her. Things between them were fine now and he didn't want them to be *weird* again. So he delicately pulled his arm off from under her, he was extremely careful so she didn't wake her up from her deep slumber. Eli, slowly get off of her bed and headed to the hall but his heart made him stop. He felt an ache crawling under his skin, he felt his heart aching, his skin... his hands were aching because they needed to touch Grace's soft skin right then. But how could he do that? He couldn't and he wouldn't. But he stepped into the room again and again crawled onto the bed. Eli observed her. He fearfully lifted his hand and carefully approached it as close as possible to Grace's shape, he stopped when he was only an inch away from touching her. He slowly traced up and down all the length of her body, desperately wanting to actually touch her. He did it once, twice, three time until Grace let out a soft moan, exhaling. Eli pulled back his hand quickly. His heart was beating so fast that he thought it would burst. Eli managed to get out of there before Grace could wake up. He ran into the living and sat on the couch. His mind was completely confused. Eli, himself had no idea why he was feeling that way. He shook his head and looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It was only six-twenty five in the morning. He felt he couldn't go back to sleep after what he just did and feeling what he felt. Eli took his guitar in his hand and absently strummed it over and over again as his mind wondered... wondered and wondered why.  
  
* * *  
  
Grace moved on her bed several times 'til she finally woke up. She confusingly looked around and her mind went back to the night before. She remember her and Eli playing and talking. "But?", she murmured. Searching for all the memories of the night before but she couldn't remember Eli leaving. "He? No? He didn't. Did he?", she asked herself if Eli had or hadn't spent the night on her bed. . with her. The thought of having him in the same bed as her made her body shiver. She rubbed her eyes with her hands to cast the last signs of sleep out of her body. As she became more and more awake she heard Eli's guitar, it brought a smile to her face. She stood up and went to talk to him. When Grace got to the hall she saw the beautiful vision of him playing. She stopped and watched him. How sensitive he seemed, she thought. Her mind began to wander through her deepest thoughts. Grace remembered the first time she laid eyes on him. She remembered all that she felt; every single feeling she had regarded to him through the past three years. She remembered she thought she wanted to be with him but then she thought she was insane because a guy like him would never be interested in a girl like her. Then they parents hooked up and her feelings were put aside. She also remembered them talking on the phone, his voice sounded so sweet... so deep.  
  
Grace was so lost in her thoughts that she couldn't listen what Eli was trying to sing. All that she heard was murmurs and a soft melody. She felt her heart fulfilled with peace. She thought she saw an angel in disguise. *My frightened angel*, she thought to herself. Grace remained there unnoticed. She made herself stop wondering about her feeling towards Eli and began to pay attention in what he was trying to sing. She observed him strum the same chord a few times. It looked like he was trying to write a song or something. She heard him trying to sing....  
  
"She fell asleep in the warmth of my arms. Woken up wishing it wasn't a dream.", Eli stopped and made a weird face. "Woken up wishing it wasn't a dream? What's wrong with you, Eli? It sucks.", he got out and Grace laughed lowly at it. He took a deep breath and tried again but now with other lyrics. "Um... I wish I could have you. I wish you could say it's alright. Um... I wish I was worth of the glance of your eyes- Okay, shut up, Eli.!", he lowly shouted to himself.  
  
He was trying to put into a song what he was feeling but it was too intense so he couldn't do that. He stopped, closed his eyes and prayed to God to send him the right words because he needed to understand what he was feeling, what he was wanting. He strummed his guitar again and a beautiful sweet melody came out of it. He didn't opened his eyes and letting be moved only by sensations., he played. He let his feelings guide him and it made Grace realize he was truly special... that he was truly an angel in disguise. She heard him sing again but this time the song came out of his heart, he was not thinking, just feeling and she understood too...  
  
*There would be no sound  
  
If there were no silence  
  
There would be no light  
  
If there weren't all the dark  
  
  
  
That's just the way it is...  
  
Night and day... right and wrong  
  
  
  
The lonely voices singing love  
  
Never say what's truly inside  
  
Silent whispers always talk louder to the hearts  
  
Passionately I speak without words  
  
Silently I say *I love you*  
  
Like the one listening to  
  
A soundless symphony  
  
We are fear and desire  
  
We are made of silent sounds...  
  
Shhhhhhh.....  
  
If only you knew what's within my heart  
  
Silently I say *I love you*  
  
Like the one-  
  
  
  
"Hey, rock star!!!", Grace felt an urge to talk, she felt she couldn't keep listening to what he was singing. It was too much for her to stand because she felt the same way too.  
  
"Hey!!! Nappy!!", Eli stopped playing, smiling back at her. "Thought you'd sleep all day."  
  
"Come on, it's only...", Grace cast a glimpse to the clock on the wall. "... only one in the afternoon.", she finished laughing as Eli did it as well. Grace went to look for something to eat and she saw things in the kitchen were exactly how she left the day before. "You haven't eaten yet?"  
  
"Oh, no. I'm not hungry.", Eli got out.  
  
"How come? You eat like-"  
  
"Hey! Watch what you say, Missy!", he kidded  
  
"I was going to say you eat like a bird... a real big, big, big bird. That's all.", she kidded back.  
  
* * *  
  
The hours went by so quickly that the night had come and they didn't even notice it. They spent the day sat on the couch. Eli singing to her and she just enjoying his voice and company.  
  
"Okay. I can't sing anymore. It's your turn.", Eli mumbled, putting his guitar aside.  
  
"What you mean *my turn*?", she made *I don't believe it is what I think it is*, face.  
  
"You're gonna sing to me now.", he said in teasing voice.  
  
"I am so not!", she got out loudly.  
  
"Oh yes, you are!", he disputed. "I killed myself being your human radio today. I sang all those foolish songs you asked me too. You owe me, Grace. You made me sing a N'SYNC song.", Grace started laughing after his last remark.  
  
"I can't sing. You know that.", she remarked.  
  
"You don't fool me, girly girl. I now you can sing. You did that play, didn't you?"  
  
"It was different. And besides, Jessie got all the complements for the singing part. I am no Jessie, Eli. So, don't push.", she tried to escape from singing to him.  
  
"Please!!!!", he pouted like a little kid wanting to persuade his parents to let him do what he wants and it melted her heart.  
  
"Okay. But... it's going to be one of my favorite songs. Right?", she spelled.  
  
"Let me guess... Britney Spears?", he mocked and she shook her head *no*. "Christina Aguillera ?", *no*, again she shrugged. "S Culb 7? Mandy Moore? Um... No angel?", Eli kept trying to guess and she kept shaking her head no.  
  
"It's a Spice Girl song.", she ended his *misery*  
  
"What? It must be a very old song cause they're gone like .... I don't now ... forever?", he mocked her again.  
  
"It's not old. And I said *Spice Girl* not *Girls*.", she disputed and he said *Oh*  
  
"Which one?",  
  
"Baby."  
  
"I always liked Scary.", he teased her and she lightly slapped his arm.  
  
"If you keep doing this I won't sing at all.", she warned and he said *Okay*. Grace prepared herself to sing but when she opened her mouth to begin, another song came to her mind. She quickly remember its lyrics and thought it would better to sing this one than the one she was about to. So she began as he amusingly watched and listened to her.  
  
"Inside my skin there is this space  
  
It twists and turns, it bleeds and aches  
  
Inside my heart there's an empty room  
  
It's waiting for lightning  
  
It's waiting for you... and...  
  
I am wanting  
  
I am needing you to be here  
  
Inside the absence of fear..."  
  
As Eli listened to her, his heart told him something he didn't want to believe it was true but desperately wanted it was.  
  
"Muscles and sinew  
  
Velvet and stone  
  
This vessel is haunted  
  
It creaks and moans  
  
My bones call to you  
  
In a separate skin  
  
I make myself translucent  
  
To let you in, boy...  
  
I am wanting  
  
I am needing you to be here  
  
Inside the absence of fear..."  
  
Eli looked deeply into her shining eyes and he saw her. he truly saw her. She was shyly exposing herself to him and he knew it and . and he loved it. He felt like the questions and the doubts that were deep inside of him were fading away, slowly fading away. But what he was feeling was right? He didn't care anymore, he just wanted to keep listening to her soft voice.  
  
"There is this hunger  
  
This restlessness inside of me  
  
And it knows that you're no stranger  
  
You're my gravity  
  
My hands will adore you  
  
Through all darkness aim  
  
They will lay you out in moonlight  
  
And reinvent your name for...  
  
I am wanting  
  
I am needing you to be here  
  
I need you near...  
  
Inside the absence... of fear..."  
  
Grace finished singing and Eli just stared at her face. "So, I guess it was that bad. Hugh?", she jokingly stated, noticing his stillness.  
  
"Huhn? Oh? No. No, it was not bat at all.", he hummed. "It was beautiful."  
  
"And it was not one of those songs that you hate so much.", she said standing up.  
  
"Shower time!", Grace joked again, beginning to head to the bathroom's way but Eli's voice stopped her.  
  
"Grace?", he said in serious tone.  
  
"What?", she said back and Eli only stared at her, not very sure if what he was about to ask was , really, a wise thing for him to do.  
  
"Um.. um. Do you know *what* we are? I mean, what I'm asking is. um.", Eli stumblingly tried to express his thoughts as she watched him with a frowned face. ". is.um. are we friends? Or step-siblings. . or. ? Can you define what we have or what we had?"  
  
Grace couldn't believe he had just asked her that. How brave of him, she thought. But still was unsure of what she should say. Should she tell him the truth? But what was the *truth*? So, she took a deep breath, her face smoothed as she blinked a few times then she uttered, "I don't know what we have, right now, Eli and about what we had.", she paused and nothing came out of her mouth for the next few minutes. Eli only waited for her to finish what she was about to say and after a long while Grace hummed, "How can you redefine something that never really had a name?", her words hit both of them real hard. they knew *what* they were but they were too afraid to admit it. Grace awkwardly smiled at him then went to take her shower.  
  
* * *  
  
Grace couldn't get much sleep that night. Her mind was way too full of questions, doubts *ifs* and *misunderstood feelings. She tossed and turned on her bed all night. When still left a few minutes for the sun to come up, Grace realized there was no point in trying to go back to sleep, so to clear her mind she decided it would nice if she went swimming in the lake. It was a hot night and besides, she really needed something to keep her from thinking about *whatever* was going on between her and Eli.  
  
She got up and tried to make her way out of the cabin as quiet as possible so she wouldn't wake him up. As she passed by the couch she cast a look at Eli; he was laying down, sleeping, the covers were on his waist so she could see his bare hard chest, which was not doing her any good; it only made her even more confused. Looking at him, laying there with no shirt on, tempted her to do unutterable things. At that moment Grace had to force herself to leave the living room before she wouldn't be able to help herself anymore. She walked to the door and stepped out.  
  
When Grace opened the door, it creaked a little and the sound of it brought Eli out of his slumber. He also had had a tough night because, as well as Grace, he was really confused with all that was going on between them. That's why the low sound of the door opening was able to wake him up.  
  
Eli looked around and saw the door wide opened. The first thing that came to his mind right then was Grace, Eli wondered if she was feeling okay. To make sure nothing was wrong Eli stood up and walked to the door and as he got out side he caught the vision of Grace with his hazel eyes, she was sluggishly walking towards the lake...  
  
*Lately when I look into you eyes  
  
I realize you're the only one I need in my life...*  
  
... Eli felt as if his heart had stopped beating for a whole minute as he stood on the front porch watching Grace. His soul was swallowed by a feeling that once he thought he knew but now he was pretty sure it was nothing compared to what he was feeling. The bright vision of Grace delighted him. She was beautiful, lost and innocent like a fallen angel... an angel that was desperately trying to find her way back up to Heaven; only for that particular angel *Heaven* was the arms of her unattainable step-brother...  
  
*... Baby, I just don't know how to describe  
  
How lovely you make me feel inside...*  
  
... Grace reached the water and she slowly walked into it. Her eyes were lost in the distance, her thoughts lost in Eli. How could she feel that way after all the fighting? She didn't know or she was too afraid of the answer. She only wanted to feel free... Those feelings were like chains holding her although she felt wings on her back. She stopped and contemplated the beauty all around her then she took a deep breath and dived in...  
  
*...You give me butterflyz  
  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
  
I can't control the butterflyz  
  
You give me butterflyz  
  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
  
I can't control the butterflyz...*  
  
... When Eli saw her diving into the water, he thought it would be the perfect time for him to go to her without being noticed. Eli didn't want her to see him but he felt like he couldn't be an inch away from her. So he left the porch and walked to the lake. Grace kept arising and diving gracefully as Eli approached the water...  
  
*...But never had I imagined such a feeling  
  
Joy is what you bring  
  
I wanna give you everything...*  
  
... Grace arose from the water and this time she didn't dive back in. She felt lighter, like the load she was carrying had been lifted up from her body. She began to walk backwards 'til the water was on her knees. The sun slowly shone its lights and Grace kept her eyes fixed on the horizon as Eli still watched her...  
  
*...You give me butterflyz  
  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
  
I can't control the butterflyz  
  
You give me butterflyz  
  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
  
I can't control the butterflyz...*  
  
... Grace absently-minded watched the sun slowly coming up. She felt like its light were warming her heart, melting her fears away... she felt good inside although she still had doubts about her deepest feelings... feelings for Eli  
  
Eli observed her carefully, she still hadn't noticed his presence there, so he kept on walking 'til his feet touched the water. And although Grace seemed to be very distracted at the time he steeped closer to her, her heart was able to hear something getting in the water. At first she thought it was a bird or any other small animal but then she felt his warmth getting closer and closer to her. Her heart froze when she realized it was Eli and when he touched her arm, the warmth of his hand sent chills through her spine... she began shaking... inside and outside as Eli moved around her until they were face to face...  
  
*... You and I  
  
Are destiny  
  
I know now  
  
You were made for me...*  
  
... Grace was with her eyes closed, silently praying for him to go away but instead God gave Eli strengths and he gently touched her chin, making her lift up her face as well as her eyes and their unsure gazes met. Grace tried to force herself to stop looking into his eyes but she was powerless against him. He was her holy-grail, he was all that she ever wanted and couldn't have and now he was right in front of her, touching her face, making her feel things no one ever had...  
  
*... Ohh, oooo  
  
I can't control it...  
  
It's driving me  
  
Taking over me and I want...*  
  
... They remained in silence forever, looking deeply into each other's eyes... how many words they spelled... how my questions they asked although no word was uttered. Grace understood perfectly well how much Eli wanted her to get into his mind; he wanted her to understand him, understand why he kept himself from love... from her. And Eli could read in her eyes that she was asking if *it was right or if it was really wrong*. She was dreadfully scared of the consequences but right then facing him, staring at his pure gaze made her finally realize that it was what they'd been waiting for all along...  
  
*...You give me butterflyz  
  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
  
I can't control the butterflyz  
  
You give me butterflyz  
  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
  
I can't control the butterflyz...*  
  
... Grace couldn't stand his honest pleading gaze anymore, so she finally could make herself to tear her eyes from his. She thought that maybe it would make him leave or at least feel not wanted but it only gave Eli the chance to delightfully contemplate all the vision of her.  
  
Eli studied very slow and carefully each and every single line of her face and as he made his way down, he almost couldn't believe in his very eyes. He clearly saw the shadow of her rouse firm breasts under her top. Grace didn't feel like wearing jamie's that night so she was wearing a tiny black short and a light white top tank and because she and all her clothing were soaking wet, the water made the garment of her top almost completely transparent. Eli's mouth dried off as he memorized all the curves of her breasts... all the curves of her entire body.  
  
Grace felt like she was naked when she noticed his stare. Her breathing shortened just at the thought of him seeing her truly shape. Embarrassment made her blush but she was made of flesh and blood too. She was human and having Eli standing right in front of her with no shirt made her now study careful and delightfully his body with her curious eyes.  
  
Her eyes ran through the hard golden muscles of his chest, then his stomach and way down his abdomen. Her core trembled at every look she cast at his body. Eli found amusing her research and loved the way she was interested in him...  
  
*...You give me butterflyz  
  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
  
I can't control the butterflyz  
  
You give me butterflyz  
  
Got me flying so high in the sky  
  
I can't control the butterflyz...*  
  
... Eli didn't want to keep playing those games anymore so he grabbed her right hand and squeezed it tightly. She looked into his eyes and saw that he was waiting for her final answer. She saw that he was begging for a change. She realized he had surrendered because as well as her, he was sinking fast into all that they might had been... all that they might had lived.  
  
So there it was the chance to make their dreams come true but Grace was still too attached to her doubts and to the fears that foolishly she thought the sun had melt away. Tears sprung from her eyes as her eyes silently and bittersweetly said *I'm sorry.*. Grace freed her hand and began to walk out the water. "Grace!!", Eli only got out and she froze in place because her heart ached when she heard him utter her name...  
  
*... You give me something I just can't deny  
  
Something that is so real  
  
I just can't control the way I fell  
  
Oh no oh no oh no oh no...*  
  
... Grace was still like a statue. Eli walked to her and first touched her arms as he approached his loved one and when they were face to face again... inches apart, he lightly caressed her hands and then he made his way up to her arms until he had her angelic face cuppled within his hands.  
  
Grace opened her misty eyes and they stared into his hazel ones. *Could it be any harder?*, she asked herself as she kept looking into his eyes. It was real hard for her to look into those eyes of his, feel his touches and still be strong enough to say *no*. Well, Grace only managed a light smile that gave Eli his so wanted answer.  
  
Eli slowly leaned in, he hesitated for an instant but when his lips softly brushed hers, he... she... they knew it was right. He pulled back to look at her eyes and her lovely face one more time. Grace thought he wouldn't noticed that she had actually shed a tear and it had mixed with the water drops that were still on her face but he saw it cause he knew her and he couldn't miss a thing about her.  
  
Eli leaned in again and this time he kissed her gently but also with passion. Her arms came up to his shoulders, wrapping his body. Their kisses grew more and more. Nothing really mattered at that instant just the feeling of having each other was enough to keep them safe and warmed. Eli's hunger to keep tasting her was endless and her wanting of having him attached to her was indescribable. Eli felt her touches crawling within his skin as she felt his essence clutching into her breasts. And by the time they had truly surrendered to their feelings, the sun was already up... shining their love to the nature around...  
  
*... You give me something I just can't deny  
  
Something that is so real  
  
I just can't control the way I fell  
  
Ohh I never felt like this... ...* 


	6. Chapter six

Author's note: Hello everyone!!!! It's true! I finally updated the story. It took me so long because I wasn't feeling that much inspired. The inspiration is coming back to slowly. That's why I say this chapter is only a coming back. You know, the thing is that, I need too what you guys really think of it. Your comments are my inspiration. So it means that the more you review the sooner I'll have the next chapter posted. I hope you guys enjoy this one.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Since Eli and Grace had given into each other, they felt like the time was standing still. The hours flew away with the wind as they remained within each other's embrace. ., their kisses lingered, their caresses were silken and powerful. . She was his home and he was the only reason she ever needed to be alive. he made her feel like she was living for the very first time. It was true, they belonged to one another and right then there were no fear crossing their minds, no memory of parents, no recall of what people called *right and wrong*. It was only them and their forbidden love. It was surely the most incredible, the most beautiful and exciting day that both, Eli and Grace had ever experienced and inside their hearts they know that it was only the beginning.  
  
The night had come and they were sitting on the front porch's floor; Eli was with his back to the wall and Grace was placed between his legs, no words were being uttered. Eli only let himself drown in the sweet scent of her soft hair and Grace felt safer than ever every time Eli's strong hands smoothed her skin.  
  
"Grace?", Eli gently hummed in her ear.  
  
"Um?", she barely replied widely smiling then sluggishly looking up at him. Eli took a time before saying something back, he just deeply locked his eyes with hers, "What?!!", she snorted a laugh, slightly blushing.  
  
"You're beautiful!!", he exclaimed lowly and she slowly turned red.  
  
"Stop it!"  
  
"It's true!", he retorted, exhaling.  
  
"Eli?", Grace murmured after a pause, sounding more serious.  
  
"What?", Eli loosen his arms and turned so they were face to face, "What, Grace?", Grace didn't say anything, she just kept moving her mouth then awkwardly bit her bottom lip until Eli realized what was on her mind.  
  
"Grace, please. let's not talk about that, not now."  
  
"But then when?", she reasoned, knowing that it was time to get back and face reality. "Eli, we're leaving tomorrow. And I'm terrified of what might happen when my mom and your dad get here. I just don't know what to think or do. It's just that I-"  
  
"Why are you so responsible, Grace?", Eli interrupted her, his tone was a bit sarcastic. Grace made a confused face and he went on. "They're going to pick us up by eight at night. It means that we still have this night and the almost the whole tomorrow to not think about these things."  
  
"I know, it's just that, I mean-", she shook her head confusingly.  
  
"I am terrified too.", Eli cupped her face with his hands, "And the truth is that our future is unsure the only thing that we have for real is here and now, let's not space it.", Eli finished as the side of his mouth kicked up a little. Grace sighed and saw honesty in his eyes, she looked around and he was right, they had no time to think of *silly* things. they had to live that moment intensely. Eli slowly began to lean in and his lips brushed hers again, Grace felt peace at every time he kissed her. She pulled back then returned to kiss him but this time she did it with all of the strength and passion that was in her body, Eli only gladly accepted and made the touches and kisses grow. He caressed her back as she ran her fingers through his hair. Their minds were racing their heart pounding while their tongues were joined in the sweetest battle ever known...  
  
* * *  
  
The didn't sleep that night, they didn't want to waste the few hours that they had to be together without having to watch their backs. In the first hours of the morning they packed and made the cabin look like a livable place then used the next five hours to do what had become their favorite addiction., make out hardly. Kisses everywhere, bodies burning, souls being consumed by the power of passion. Eli and Grace did what they could to make every single hour of that day be unforgettable, they lived it as it was the last day of their lives.  
  
The sun was abut to go down when they finally sat to have the talk that the day before they had avoided.  
  
"Okay. ", Eli said, looking at he floor.  
  
"Say something.", Grace pleaded in a hearty voice.  
  
"You know what we have to do, Grace. ", Eli con firmed what she already knew but hope that some miracle would happen.  
  
"I don't know if I can hide this.", she hummed as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't know if I want to hide this. You know for how long I waited for this to happen?"  
  
"Grace, please. it's the only way.", he reasoned this time, "If we want to be together we have to hide it from the entire family. Nobody, absolutely nobody can know about this. about us. At least, not now."  
  
"I know, I know.", she hummed and he stepped closer to her then wiped the tear out. She sighed and he held her in his arms. "Why does it have to be so hard?"  
  
"I don't know.", he lowly replied, pulling away. Checking out his watch, he said, "Listen, we're going to figure out a way to be together. . In the house, out of the house, anywhere. It doesn't matter. . We're gonna make it."  
  
Grace gazed into his eyes, snorting. She smiled then said, "So, I guess it's time for us to put on our masks and wait for them to come. Right?"  
  
"Right!", Eli exclaimed with a single nod. "but we can't be too friendly to each other or they'll suspicious."  
  
"You got it!"  
  
* * *  
  
Before eight p.m , Lily and Rick got to the cabin. Rick pulled over and as they jumped out the car, they first caught sight of Eli; he was sitting on the porch, playing his guitar.  
  
"Eli!", Lily loudly exclaimed, rushing to hug him.  
  
"Hi, Lily!", Eli calmly returned the greeting and the hug then hugged his father too. "Hi, dad!"  
  
"Hey, E!", Rick only muttered, hugging his son back.  
  
"Um, where's grace?", Lily impatiently asked and Eli pointed to the cabin in response to her question. Lily quickly opened the door and found Grace crashed on the couch, reading.  
  
"Mom!", grace popped up, putting the book down then hurried to give her mother a big hug.  
  
"Oh! I missed you so!", Lily squeezed her daughter as tight as she could.  
  
"I missed you too.", Grace smiled then greeted Rick, as him and Eli walked into the cabin. "Hello, Rick!"  
  
"Hi, Grace!", Rick smiled back. A concerned and curious look crossed Rick's and Lily's faces as they four stood there.  
  
"So, how was your trip?", Eli spoke before the air was filled with silence.  
  
"Was great. The trip was. great!", Lily awkwardly stumbled.  
  
"Cool!"  
  
"So. did you guys enjoyed here?", Lily trailed and Eli held back a grin that had threatened to arise on his face because he knew what he parents were dying to know but for some reason were afraid to ask. Grace got the message too so she slightly bit her lips as she glanced over Eli. Lily and Rick were still waiting for the kids to say something. lily looked at her daughter and tried again, "You didn't like here? I mean-"  
  
"Everything is alright, mom.", Grace interrupted Lily.  
  
"Alright, alright? Or.", Rick insinuated and Eli jumped back in.  
  
"You guys wanna know if we fought, right?", Eli took the words out of his father's mouth and Rick and Lily nodded. "We did have an only one fight."  
  
The look on the parents' faces were confused now, so Grace explained, "But don't worry! There were no physical harms just verbal. But after that we talked and realized we were being silly, childish, selfish and-"  
  
"- stubborn!", Eli cut her, adding.  
  
"That too!", Grace nodded, jokingly.  
  
"But now everything is okay again.", Eli finished with no more detailed explanation.  
  
"What does that mean, exactly?", Lily frowned, feeling that they were not telling them the entire truth.  
  
"It means we're friends again.", Grace eased her mother's concern and they all smiled widely.  
  
"So. um. I guess. um. Let's go home!!", Rick stated with a jokingly tone. Eli and Grace grabbed their bags that were already in the living room and as Rick locked the cabin, they both glanced around the place for the last time and in that split moment, all the memories of what they had lived there passed their minds. they smiled and taking a deep breath entered the car. Rick checked if everything was alright then started the card and drove off.  
  
* * *  
  
During the way back home, Eli and Grace didn't talk much. All they did was exchange glances and hold hands every time they were sure that the parents weren't paying attention...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
At Lily's, Judy was trying to make conversation with Jessie and Zoe but with no much success...  
  
"I don't believe that you had no fun there in Brasil!", Judy made a funny face and Zoe exaggeratedly nodded a * no *.  
  
"Well, I had fun there. Actually, I can't remember the last time I had that much fun.", Jessie happily stated, pouring a glass of milk.  
  
"Of course, you did. Katie was with you but I, I was all alone.", Zoe disputed in annoyance.  
  
"Oh! That's why you're so-", Judy was about to mock her niece but she was cut by the sound of the front door being opened. Judy stood up and went to check out who was there and when she set foot on the living room, she jumped up with happiness because Lily, Rick, Grace and Eli had gotten home. "Hey!!! You're here!!!"  
  
"Hi, Judy!", Grace widely smiled and Eli only mouthed a shy hello.  
  
"I'm going to take these upstairs.", Rick grabbed Grace's bags and started up.  
  
"Thanks for staying with the girls. You saved my life.", Lily thanked her sister.  
  
"Oh, you don't have to thank me. It's always a pleasure.", Judy smiled while Zoe and Jessie made their way in the living room.  
  
"Grace!!", Zoe got out sounding more happy than instants before.  
  
"Hey, Zoe!!", Grace and Zoe hugged each other as Jessie and Eli did the same. Grace and Jessie only mouthed a * hi * while Zoe had to sow her unconditional love for Eli by jumping on him.  
  
"I missed you too, Zoe!", Eli said under a laugh.  
  
"It looks like everything turned out okay. Hugh?!", Judy tried to mention the whole Eli and Grace fights situation.  
  
"Everything turned out just fine, Judy. Just fine!", Grace assured her aunt and Jessie looked and her and Eli with suspicious in her eyes. "I'm going up to my room."  
  
"Yeah! I'm going to my garage too. I still need to take my bags out the car.", Eli announced as well.  
  
"Aren't you hungry?", Lily casually questioned.  
  
"No!", Eli and Grace got out together then left.  
  
"You think this is permanent?", Judy asked.  
  
"I guess so or I hope so!", Lily stated and the girls went back to the kitchen.  
  
* * *  
  
The whole family was home again, everything seemed to be perfect and normal. They didn't have dinner together that night, though. One: because it was really late at night; two: because they were all very tired.  
  
Grace woke up in the middle of the dawn. She had her mind on Eli. She sighed heavily when she felt the sleep slipping out of her body. She wanted to be with him; it was too soon for them to be * apart *. Grace questioned herself over and over again if she should got to his garage or not. Her heart answered * yes * but her brain kept her real by repeatedly telling her * no *.  
  
So Grace begun to toss and turn on her bed while the memories of his kisses and touches tempted her. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep util she could stop thinking of Eli, Grace decided to go down to the kitchen and distract herself eating a snack.  
  
Grace made her way down sound as quiet as possible and when she approached the kitchen, she saw its light on. She wondered who was there before entering and when she was finally in the place, a big smile appeared on her face as she saw who was there.  
  
"Hey you!!", Eli mumbled, grinning.  
  
"Hey yourself!!", she said back, moving to the fridge and before she could open it up, Eli grabbed her arm and pulled her to him then kissed her hungrily. Grace immediately returned the favor but quickly pulled away when she remembered where they were, "Eli, are you crazy?"  
  
"Why do you ask?", he teasingly bit his bottom lips as she tried to get rid of his arms. "Come one!", Eli made a puppy face.  
  
"We can't do this here.", Grace keep pulling away but Eli trapped her by lifting her body then placing her sat on the counter. As he did it, a pan that was on it fell on the floor making a loud noise...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jessie was coming down when she heard something falling on the floor. Her face frowned in wonder. She soundlessly kept walking but stopped when she saw that the kitchen's light was on. She stopped and listen...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Grace covered her mouth to contain the scream that was about to come out when the pan hit the floor. "What are you doing? Somebody could have it. Did you know that?"  
  
"At three in the morning? There's nobody awake at three in the morning!', he joked.  
  
"We are!', Grace disputed.  
  
"Well, that's different. We're different and besides, you said it yourself...", Eli traced down her thighs until he reached her knees, he spread her legs then placing himself between them, he hummed. "I'm crazy..."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jessie recognized their voices when they went back talking and for some reason, she remained muted and continued to listen t them but this time, she stretched her head, attempting to get a glimpse of what they were doing...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Oh, yeah!", grace murmured, leaning down.  
  
"Yeah!", Eli leaned up, "I'm... I'm crazy about you.", their lips met again. They kissed each other fervently, forgetting about the rest of the world and where they where.  
  
As they continued kissing, Jessie pulled back her head and set it on the wall. She had an astonished and annoyed look on her face, the words that crossed her mind at that moment were written all over her face, * I knew it *, she thought as she swallowed a not very noble feeling down then quickly she made her way up to her room as Eli and Grace still kissed one another... 


	7. Chaper seven

Next morning in the kitchen, everyone was bouncing around in a not very much hurry. It was Monday Morning and although they all tried to ignore; work, school. ., the real world was calling out their names.  
  
Grace and Eli were doing their best to act normally. They avoided too much long conversations, tried not to look at each other or display any demonstration of a too friendly relation. Jessie observed their every move, like she was some kind of a hawk studying its prey. Billions of thoughts passed her mind as she just sat there and watched them pretending nothing was going on. She had a not very pleased look on her face. Eli noticed that something was obviously bothering his sister, he even asked what it was but she just easily dismissed him saying that she was not in the mood of going to school.  
  
When all the kids were almost ready to take off, Rick and Lily made an announcement.  
  
"Everyone?!!!", Rick first caught their attention, "Before you lave, I guess that Lily and I should tell you something."  
  
They all had big questions marks stained on their faces, so Lily went on with the explanation, "We wanna let you know that you won't have to worry about the space problem of this house. Jessie and Zoe, you're not going to have to share a room again."  
  
"That's right! We thought of it and with all the confusion that happened when you too first shared a room, the best solution is the Baby to live in our room.", Rick added. At the moment Rick mentioned the word *Baby* the frowns on the kids' faces faded away. The truth was they didn't have a clue of what the parents were talking about. None of them were actually worried about the rooms or where the Baby was going to live. They all knew that no matter what decisions Rick and Lily would take they would have to play one of the good kids and accept it because, in spite they all hated it, there was not much they could about the *subject*. But with what their parents said, they seemed to be relieved now.  
  
"But the Baby is gonna live there with you . like. forever?", Zoe asked only to show she cared.  
  
"Of course not, sweetie!!", Lily snorted, smiling. "Maybe for one or two years but by that time Eli and Grace will not be living here so we're gonna have extra rooms then we see what we want to do . And it's easer for me to take care of the Baby if he or she is in my room.", Lily finished. Eli and Grace exchanged glances when Lily said they would be out of the house within one or two years. They smiled at that thought.  
  
"Okay, everybody!!! Time to go!", Eli clapped once or twice making Grace, Jessie and Zoe start their every day ritual of saying goodbye.  
  
"Bye, Grace! Bye, Zoe!, Bye, Jessie, Bye, Eli!", Lily happily stated then jokingly added, "Bye, mom! Bye, Lily!, Bye, dad! Bye, Rick!"  
  
"Bye!!", they all got out loud in reply then walked out.  
  
Eli and Jessie were the first ones to get to the car. Jessie usually took the backseat but when Eli was driving them but this time she took the passenger's seat instead. When Grace saw that she made a funny face but right away shrugged the unimportant subject, entering the car, placing herself sat next to Zoe. . on the backseat.  
  
Seatbelts hooked, ready to leave. Eli took a look around and thought they had an odd picture going on there. He wanted Grace to be next to him not Jessie, "Um. Jess?!!", he called.  
  
"What?", his sister answered.  
  
"Could you sit on the back and let Grace sit here?", he tried to sound as much casual as possible. But not casual enough for Jessie and Grace. The two girls made a surprised face after he uttered those words.  
  
"Why, Eli?", Jessie questioned, knowing that he couldn't tell her the truth, so while he kept moving his moth she just wonder what clever lie he was going to make up this time then she sarcastically remarked, "You don't want me to sit next to you, Eli? Or."  
  
"No!! It's not that!!", he clumsily snapped, "It's just that you always take the backseat and Grace the front so I . thought . that.. maybe. um-"  
  
"Grace? Do you mind if I seat here?", Jessie turned and asked.  
  
"No!! Not at all!", Grace more than quickly stumbled, as her eyes loudly asked Eli what was that about and what he think he was doing.  
  
"Okay! Can we go now?", Jessie glared at her brother then Eli stated the car, taking off.  
  
* * *  
  
Grace and Jessie arrived at school a few minutes late, that's why they had to go straight to their respective classes.  
  
During her second class, Grace got a note from Cynthia. Then note said: * Hey, stranger!! You won't believe in what I have to tell you!! Explain later at lunch! Cynthia.*. Grace looked over her shoulder and shook her head in confusion, Cynthia all smiling, mouthed *later*.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
When Eli got to BookLovers he had a big surprise. A new girl, named Eva, was working in Nina's place.  
  
"Hey, Judy!!", Eli frowned as this Eva girl ate him with her eyes.  
  
"Um.. Hey!!! Eli!! Good morning!", Judy greeted as she walked in his direction.  
  
"Morning. Um. What happened to Nina?"  
  
"Oh!! Jake fired her.", Judy informed.  
  
"Why?", he quizzed, shaking his head.  
  
Judy got a little embarrassed and vaguely answered, "He's got his reasons.", she lightly snorted a laugh. Her eyes kept rolling and she couldn't stop nodding, which made Eli realize what made Jake fire the girl.  
  
"Oh!! Got it!", he ironically remarked.  
  
"You know, I have to confess that Jake firing Nina was a complete shock to me. Specially the reason that got him to do it.", Judy in a very subtle way mentioned Jake's past as a womanizer.  
  
Eli laughed at it, "People change."  
  
"Oh, so I heard.", she kidded then her expression went from embarrassment to a wide open curiosity. "Talking about changing. You're different."  
  
Eli lowered his eyes grinning and pretended he didn't know what she was talking about, "What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't know. You look unsually happy.", she insinuated, "You and Grace didn't talk much about what happened at the cabin."  
  
"There's not much to talk about.", Eli tried to escape from answering but he new the woman wouldn't leave him alone until her said something. "You know, we fought then compromised. The place was. nice. There were lots of trees, mosquitos, . the lake was full of.. fishes.. frogs. You know what, I better work or I'll be next one fired here.", he dismissed her as she rolled her tongue inside her cheek and hummed a * hughm hum.*  
  
* * *  
  
At lunch time, Grace was at the school cafeteria with Cynthia and Linda. The two girls were all excited and that was killing Grace of curiosity.  
  
"Are you two going to tell me what's going on or not?", she impatiently quizzed.  
  
The girls laughed then Linda start to break the mystery, "See that hot-tall- brunet with deep dark eyes over there?", she pointed to three tables across the one they were sat.  
  
Grace looked at the boy she was talking about, made a funny face and said, "Yeah!!! What about him?"  
  
"Well, according to my sources .", Cynthia jumped in.  
  
"Sources??", Grace's brow furrowed in wonder.  
  
"Yes! Sources.", Cynthia confirmed and went on, "After the whole Mr. Dimitri thing. certain boys of this school began to see you with other eyes."  
  
"That's right my friend.", Linda was the on explaining now, "They see you as a mature and brave girl and."  
  
"Where is this going?", Grace got out.  
  
"Okay. That hot guys we were talking about has been asking lots of questions about you.", Cynthia smirked.  
  
Grace's mouth fell opened, "You mean, Taylor , the captain of the football team?", her two friends only nodded in agreement, ''Why?"  
  
"I say, he's interested in you.", Linda stated the obvious.  
  
"You're crazy.", Grace began to blush and thoughts of her and Eli came to her mind.  
  
"What? Is that hard to believe that a hot guy could be interested in you?", Cynthia muttered.  
  
"No, it's not that. It's just that, I. I mean..", all Grace could think of that moment was how twisted that sounded and how funny life can be sometimes.  
  
"Okay, maybe we're wrong. But we only have left a month here and the prom is in two weeks. I know Taylor hasn't invited anyone yet. I say we wait and see what happens.", Lind tried to make thing lighter and make the frowns on Grace's faces disappear.  
  
"Okay", Grace only added, going back to her food.  
  
  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
  
  
Jessie and Katie were sat on the second table away from Grace and her friends. During the lunch the girl didn't say a thing, all she did was glare at her step-sister every now and then, never letting the concern expression on her face fade.  
  
"Alright. I can't take this anymore.", Katie stated, noticing Jessie's weird behavior. "What's going on, Jess?", Jessie was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear what her *friend* had just said, "Jess? Jess?"  
  
"Um.. What??", Jessie was brought back to reality by the sound of Katie's voice.  
  
"Are you okay??"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"Nothing. Just. you seem worried or something.", Katie said a little unsure.  
  
"Oh. it, it's nothing.", she dismissed, wearingly smiling. Katie didn't buy that but didn't want to upset her even more so she just let her be.  
  
* * *  
  
That say after school, Jessie went to visit her mother but didn't stay fro the night because Karen was having dinner with Henry. When Jessie got home, she looked around and saw no signs of Eli and Grace.  
  
"Hi, dad!", Jessie said, shrugging off her backpack.  
  
"Hi, honey!", Rick replied.  
  
"Where's Lily?"  
  
"Um, she's upstairs. She's not feeling well.", Rick vaguely informed.  
  
"Oh!!! Where's Grace and Zoe and Eli.", Jessie wanted to be sure her suspicious were true.  
  
"Zoe is with Lily and Grace and Eli. I'm not sure where they are. They were here about.. a minute ago or was it two hours ago. I don't know. Did you check their rooms.", Rick said more interested in the news on TV.  
  
"No, I didn't.", Jessie sighed in announce then trudged up to the attic. Once up there, she collapsed on the bed and she had to obligate herself to not do something stupid and go to the garage and bust Eli and Grace. To draw her mind out of the thought of Eli and Grace she called Katie and talked about nothing in particular.  
  
* * *  
  
Fours days had passed since Jessie found out about the secret romance of her brother and step-sister. During those days, Jessie had to pretend she bought every single lame excuse that the two made up to be together. It nauseating her every time she caught them flirting. She was disgusted by them and she didn't know why. Her status with Katie couldn't be called normal, so why she was so upset with Eli's and Grace's story?? She couldn't say. She even tried to convince herself that maybe because both were lonely the decided to dive into that risky relationship. But that thought melt away when Jessie found out about Taylor having a crush on Grace and after meeting the new girl at BookLovers. She could tell by the way Eva was looking at Eli that that was hell over heels for him. With those new information in hands, Jessie wondered why couldn't Eli be interested in Eva or why couldn't Grace content to be with one the most good looking guys of the school. But what the hell? Life's complicated. Love's complicated.  
  
So there they were, the whole family having dinner on a Thursday night. Eli and Grace barely had touched their food when they excused themselves and went to the garage with the excuse Grace was going to listen the new song Eli had written.  
  
Jessie watched them leave and knew what they were actually going to do, "Dad?"  
  
"What, Jess?",  
  
"Um.. I-", Jessie opened her mouth to talk but she was cut by Lily complaining about not feeling so well.  
  
"Oh, God! I don't fell good.", Lily place her hand on her womb.  
  
"What is it, Li??", Rick face's fell in concern. Lily had been feeling bad for a few days and it was starting to worry him. "Don't you think you should see a doctor?"  
  
"I have an appointment.", Lily disputed and he gave her a look. ". the appointment is on the at then end of the month."  
  
"Lil, we-", Rick was about to pour tons of reasons for Lily to go see a doctor as soon as possible when Jessie couldn't take anymore.  
  
"Um. excuse me.", Jessie pulled back the chair and stood up then walked out the scene leaving Zoe, Rick and Lily on the table.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Eli and Grace had spent the whole day apart so they locked the door right after then entered in. Eli grabbed Grace then lifted her body as he kissed her fervently. It was the best part of the day for both of them. Grace wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked over to his bed. Eli laid them on it. He was placing kisses on her collar bone as she softly groaned. He swiftly slid a hand under her shirt and begun to caress the bare skin of her tummy. Their make out sections were much stronger now, everything grew, the kisses, the touches. everything. Grace was about to put her hand on the back of his trousers when they heard a knock on the door. Eli and Grace quickly separated and clumsily fixed their clothes and hair 'til finally got out.  
  
"Eli??", they heard her call.  
  
"It's Jessie.", Eli whispered to Grace who had her hand on her mouth to contain the laughs of the fear of being caught . "What do I do?"  
  
"Eli???", Jessie had an urgent tone on her voice.  
  
Grace knew there was no other way but open the door. She walked to it and unlocked and as she opened it, it revealed a very pissed Jessie.  
  
"Why was the door locked??", Jessie wanted to make them nervous.  
  
"No particular reason.", Eli answered and Grace went to his CD pile's. "What do you want?"  
  
"Listen to your new song.", Jessie meanly played with their minds. Eli looked at Grace with widen eyes , not knowing what to say back, "Isn't it what you guys were doing?"  
  
"Yeah, sure.", he said.  
  
"So, can I hear it."  
  
"You know what, I just remembered I kinda promised Lind I would called tonight to talk about the prom, so . I'm going. Night, Eli. Night, Jessie.", Grace wisely made that up and left the scene.  
  
Eli sat on his bed, frustration stained in his eyes while Jessie sarcastically waited him to play the song, "Eli. I'm waiting."  
  
"Jess. the song isn't finished yet.", he lied.  
  
"Really?? Why can Grace hear what you've got so far and I can't", she started to sound more and more pissed.  
  
"Because... because... Grace is a writer and she's helping me write the song. That's why.", Eli blew out and Jessie just gave him a look. He was good in lying, she couldn't deny that. Tired of that game she stood up and left. * That was close. *, he thought , right after she slammed the door shut.  
  
* * *  
  
Friday morning was a complete chaos for the family. Rick had a meeting at seven, the girls went to school and Eli to work. Lily stayed home because she was not feeling good at all. She told Rick she would look for a doctor but she didn't.  
  
While Lily struggle at home, Jessie and Katie had a argument at school. The fight happened because Jessie was acting weird around Grace and when Katie asked her what was going on she begun to attack her for no reason.  
  
The sucked for all of them. Eli and Grace were the first ones to get home. Eli first then after a few minutes Grace. She found him in the kitchen. As she stepped in, Eli hugged her tightly...  
  
"Eli?!!", Grace warned in a whisper.  
  
" There's nobody home... We're completely and totally alone.", he with a smirk. Neither Eli nor Grace knew that Lily hadn't gone to work that day. "Come on, let me kiss you."  
  
"No, not in the house. We can't do this here It's too risky.", she reasoned as usual, getting out of his grasp then walking to the fridge.  
  
"Oh, please... You can't do this to me.", Eli crawled closer to her then touched her arm. Grace felt electricity shooting through all over her body. She was supposed to be used to his touches but she couldn't help feeling that way. She slowly begun to fell her legs were about to fail. She closed the door and turn to allow him to get even closer to her. Eli, caressed her left arm and made his way up to her neck until he hand cupped her face, their lips were only inches apart when a call startled them...  
  
"Grace??", Lily called and they turned around. Horror and fear in their eyes , Eli and Grace let go off each at the moment they heard her speak.  
  
"Mom?", Grace only managed to get that out. "I didn't know you were home."  
  
"What were you doing??", Lily asked, her tone was filled with worry and why do not say despair of what the answer might be.  
  
"What do you mean?", Grace had to play dumb. Eli didn't know what to say he just stood there like a statue.  
  
"It, it, it seemed like you, you, you and Eli were about to, to-", Lily couldn't finish her thought, part of her brain told her that what she was thinking was completely insane and part of her heart told her otherwise.  
  
"I ... asked ... Grace.. to, to... smell my new perfume. I wanted to know if it's too strong nd sweet so... You know.", that was all he could thought of. How could he explain why they were standing so close to each other.  
  
"Really?", Lily puzzled.  
  
"Yes, mom. And by the way Eli, I didn't like it... It is too strong and sweet.", Grace played along and opened the fridge again.  
  
"What are you doing home so early, Lily", Eli asked to distance her from the scene she almost witnessed moments before.  
  
"I, I'm not feeling well, I", Lily put her hand on her womb and her face shown pain.  
  
"Lily, are you okay?", Eli was scared.  
  
Grace turned to take a look her mother and she go terrified with what she saw, "Mom... your pants."  
  
Lily looked down at her white pants and saw that it was stained... ... stained with blood. "Oh my, God.", Lily only whispered.  
  
Eli grabbed the phone and called Rick telling him, that he and Grace were taking Lily to a hospital. Jessie was entering in the house at the moment they rushed outside. She got completely confused...  
  
"Eli? What's going on??, she asked as Grace helped Lily to get in the car.  
  
"Lily's Baby is in trouble.", Eli informed in a hearty tone. Jessie run to the car and place herself sat. They left to the hospital...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Eli, Grace and Jessie were at the waiting room when Judy got there with Zoe...  
  
"How is she?", Judy asked.  
  
" We don't know yet.", Eli mumbled as Grace hugged her sister.  
  
They waited for about fifteen more minutes then Rick appeared to thrown out the news...  
  
"So?", Judy quizzed.  
  
" How's my mom? How's the Baby?", Zoe added with tears in her eyes.  
  
" They're both okay.", Rick informed them with a relief tone in his voice. They all hugged and sighed heavily when they heard that.  
  
" What happened?", Judy wanted more information.  
  
"It's nothing serious. The doctor said that something like that is not unsual in a pregnancy of woman in her forties. He said that we must be more careful, she can't carry heavy things, she can't do housewife duties... you know. But everything is going to be fine.", Lily quickly explained.  
  
A nurse came pushing Lily sitting in a wheel chair.  
  
"Hi, mom!", Zoe kneeled down and gently embrace her mother...  
  
* * *  
  
They all got at home, Lily went straight to her room and so did Rick, Jessie and Zoe went up and Eli and Grace turned on the TV. Grace waited until they were completely alone to break the silence...  
  
"Eli , we need to talk.", she seriously said, her eyes drowned with tears. Eli nodded in agreement and they went to his garage to talk.  
  
Eli close the door but didn't lock it. He sat on his bed and Grace just stood there, her eyes fixed on the floor as her tears kept streaming.  
  
"Grace, your mom is fine and so is the Baby. Everything is going to be o-", Eli knew she was too worried about her mother.  
  
"I can't do this anymore.", Grace interrupted him.  
  
"What? Do what, Grace?", Eli frowned, not understanding what she was talking about. Grace blinked and more tears rolled down. She looked at him and he read in her eyes what she meant. "It's not what I think it is, right?"  
  
"We can't keep on doing this anymore.", she sniffed.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You saw what happened, Eli. She almost lost the Baby.", Grace burst out.  
  
Eli couldn't believe what she just said, "What are you saying? You're saying it was our fault?"  
  
"She almost caught us kissing, Eli. You saw the expression on her face, she was terrified.", Grace begun to freak out.  
  
"Grace, you heard my father. Her pregnancy is a dangerous one. Things like that happen.", he pleaded, raising his voice a little.  
  
"No... no... if she... Anyway, it doesn't matter, Eli... This... what we have is... is a lie... We're living a lie. I don't know if I can handle this situation. I want to tell the world about us and after what happened I just can't do that... I can't do it anymore.", Grace cried.  
  
Eli buried his head in his hands and desperately said, "Grace, you can't be serious about this... This is what we've been waiting for... You can't do this to me."  
  
"Oh, come on, Eli!", she screamed, "Do you see a future for us?? You said yourself that if we wanna be together we must hide this... Do you think you can live like that?? Well, I can't."  
  
Eli swallowed his feelings down, he knew she was right. The couldn't make their relation public, at least not until the Baby was born and keep on hiding it was too hard for both of them. He knew what to do... but it ached him just to think of it, "You're right. I can't live like that, either."  
  
Grace wiped out her tears, "We knew... we knew this was going to happen."  
  
"But we had to try, right?", he added, choking at the words, "So, that's it. Hugh?!!"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
Silence filled the air as they took time to absorve all that had happened. Their hearts were broken and there were nothing they could about that. It was how things were for them...  
  
The silence became too strong for them to stand so Eli spoke, "Jessie told me about Taylor... He's got a crush on you... Right?", Grace didn't say anything, " Jessie thinks you should go out with him."  
  
"Yeah, she told me.", she found strength to speak, " She told me about Eva too... She said the girl's head over heels for you."  
  
Eli and Grace locked eyes again. The feeling crossing their eyes were something that both well knew... loneliness, sadness... They were apart again... She nodded and forced a smile... he did the same...  
  
"So, I see you around.", he breathed.  
  
"See you around.", Grace replied and Eli turned his back on her. The tears went back streaming at the minute she walked out his door. Grace rushed into the house and bumped at Jessie on the stairs...  
  
"Grace??", she quizzed  
  
"Not now, Jessie", Grace ran up and locked herself in her room.  
  
Jessie thought it was odd, so she went to Zoe's room to ask if Lily was okay, Zoe assured her that she was. Jessie figured then that Grace wasn't crying because of her mother, she was crying because of Eli. Jessie was dying to know what had happened between them, so she went to her brother's garage. As she got there, she saw his door were slightly opened, she slid herself in and found Eli crying too...  
  
"Eli, are you okay", she with sympathetically.  
  
"Go away, Jess.", he ordered, not wanting to deal with anyone.  
  
"But Eli, you're-"  
  
"I SAID GO AWAY!!!! DAMN IT!!!", he screamed in desperation. His action scared her a little, she never saw him like that before. So she quietly slid back out and closed his door, leaving him alone with his pain... 


	8. Chapter eight

Author's note: Well everyone, this is a very long chapter but I kinda liked it. I hope you enjoy it too.  
  
P.S: Thank you for the reviews  
  
* * * * * *  
  
  
  
Jessie went to the attic that night feeling horrible; one because of Lily and the Baby; two because of Eli and Grace. She didn't know what had really happened between them but by the sadness she saw on their faces, she figured they must had fought or something. And if it was a fight, it must had been a pretty bad one because a few minutes later she had left his garage, Jessie heard a car taking off... ... ... Eli's car.  
  
Jessie couldn't get much sleep that night. Her mind kept wondering and wondering over the whole Grace and Eli situation. It was true that she wasn't cool about it and that she even tried to hook up Grace with that Taylor person. But now with the possibility of their break up, she wasn't feeling good at all. Actually she was feeling a little ashamed for not wanting them to be together. It was pretty obvious for her that Eli really cared about Grace because Jessie never saw Eli so sad before, not even when their mother almost died. It was new to Jessie to see him crying. But still she stuck to her previous judgment about her brother's and step-sister's relationship. She reasoned to herself that they were better off without each other.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
Next day, the entire family was being extremely careful with Lily. Zoe and Grace didn't even had one single fight. In fact, Zoe helped Grace to run all the household errands... You know, cooking, cleaning and whatever a normal teenage hated to do in a house. Jessie and Eli were supposed to go to Karen's at the first hour in the morning but Rick had to drive Jessie instead. No one and nothing on this Earth was able to wake Eli up that morning. Rick even got a little concerned about his son but he was kinda used to Eli's irresponsibility so he just let him be.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The weekend was pretty calm after Lily scared the hell out of everybody on Friday. It was Monday again and Lily was feeling as good as new, even her nausea gave her a little break. As for Eli and Grace, well... he was at his mom's and would only return to the house on Tuesday, so it was easier for Grace to pretend everything was alright or she just made herself believe it was...  
  
* * *  
  
*Three weeks for summer vacation !*, it was all the students could talk about and of course, the prom. Grace avoided any kind of conversation with anyone in school. Every time Cynthia, Linda or AJ tried to talk to her, she came up with some excuse to leave. But it was lunch time now and Linda and Cynthia somehow managed to sort of kidnap Grace so she had no choice but deal with them...  
  
"What's wrong with you today, Grace?", Cynthia asked, folding her arms.  
  
"Wrong? Nothing's wrong.", Grace lied attempting to escape from the other thousand questions her friends were about to pour.  
  
"You don't fool us, Grace. Something's obviously wrong.", Linda remarked.  
  
"It's nothing. Really.", Grace said again.  
  
"It's gotta be something. You're acting all weird on us.", Linda spoke again as her eyes studied Grace's face, searching for something that would indicate what was going on with her friend.  
  
"What do you mean?", Grace lowered her eyes, playing dumb.  
  
"You were so happy last week. You were even whistling and talking to birds.", Cynthia snapped.  
  
"And now you're so sad that you pretty much look like a zombie."  
  
Grace snorted a bitter laugh at Cynthia's joking sentence, "Um... Something happened to my mother and I-"  
  
"Is she okay? Something happened to the Baby?", Linda cut her in concern.  
  
"She is okay. They're both fine.", Grace replied and lightly felt blessed for the friends she had. "I guess, I'm just worried about them. That's all."  
  
"Well, in that case... we, as good friends, we're here to make that worry, sadness or whatever you're feeling go away.", Cynthia stood up and so did Linda.  
  
"How?", Grace observed them in awe.  
  
"Come with us.", Linda grabbed Grace's hand, making her to stand. Linda and Cynthia began to walk but Grace remained still on her spot with frowns on her face. The two girls stepped back, grabbed Grace's arms then dragging her out, Linda stated, "Aren't you hungry?"  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jessie and Katie were having lunch at the school cafeteria when Grace and her friends walked in the place. The expression on Jessie's face was not one of the most pleasant ones and it got worse when she saw Taylor talking to Grace.  
  
"Jessie?", Katie called with a serious tone.  
  
"What?", Jessie looked up at her.  
  
"Aren't you going to tell me what's going on with you?", Katie quizzed, "This mystery you're making here is killing me."  
  
Jessie cast a look over Grace and Taylor then sighed heavily, "Alright. It's complicated ... ... but I'll try to explain.", Jessie put down her spoon and began her confusing explanation, "There is this ... ... thing that was going on ... and this ... ... thing was supposed to be a secret but I accidentally found out about it. And this ... thing was wrong or at least - No, not wrong but not entirely right either. Maybe that's why it bothered me so much when ... ... you know, when I found out. But now this thing is no longer happening or at least I think it's not. The point is... ... I guess I should be glad because this thing is over ... ... The thing is ... ... I wasn't cool with ... this thing when it was going on but I'm not cool now that it's over. You know what I'm saying?", Jessie finished.  
  
Katie had this confused and amazed look on her face, it was too many *thing* for her to grasp, so she just mumbled, "No."  
  
"I said it was complicated.", Jessie remarked and Katie only nodded then they both suddenly began to laugh at it.  
  
* * *  
  
It was four p.m, Grace was back at home, she was exhausted. She felt like she was carrying an huge heavy over her shoulders, her head ached and all she wanted to do was stay locked in her room. It was only for nine days or so that she had Eli but she felt like she always had him. Being without him was too painful for her but she was always the good girl, she always did the right thing and break up with Eli was the right thing to do; it was the best for the family ... ... How she wished that day at the lake never happened. Tears streamed down her cheeks when she remembered it. That day was when they let show their true feeling for each other. Grace choked at her breath when she remembered the way she used to feel when she didn't have him; it wasn't easy at all to sit back and watch him from afar but it was ten thousand times harder now that she knew how it felt like to kiss him, to hold him ... ... The memories were slowly torturing her that she felt strength leaving her body. It was right then when her door received a knock. Grace sat back on her bed, wiped out the tears, took a deep breath and said, "Come in.", Grace watched her door slowly being opened and the person who was behind it surprise her, "Jessie!! Weren't you supposed to be at your mom's?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What are you doing here?", Grace quizzed while Jessie stood on her doorway.  
  
"Um... ... um... Katie's shirt. I left it here and she needs it, so...", Jessie lied. She hadn't borrowed any shirt from Katie, the real reason she was there was because she was curious; she wanted to know what Grace and Taylor had talked earlier at school.  
  
Jessie didn't say a word during a few seconds, she just advanced some footsteps into the room while Grace observed her in awe, "What is it, Jess?". Grace realized her step-sister had something to say.  
  
Jessie awkwardly smiled then stumbled aloud, "I heard this rumor that Taylor was going to ask you to the prom."  
  
"Oh?!!!", Grace exclaimed and for an instant wondered why out of the sudden Jessie cared if a guy asked her out, "That's true. Well, actually, he did ask me. That's what we were talking about at lunch."  
  
"What did you say?", Jessie raised an eye brow, trying to sound very casual about the whole thing.  
  
"I said yes."  
  
"You did?!!", Jessie snapped in surprise.  
  
"I did.", Grace made a funny face, not understanding where Jessie was trying to get, "What? Do you think I did wrong in accept it? I thought you wanted us to-"  
  
"No. You did the right thing. It's great that you two are going to the prom. It's just great.", Jessie pretended excitement but had the feeling she wasn't being a very much good actress. She could honestly say that Grace didn't fall for that, "Well, I better get going. I still have to drop at Katie's, ... You know."  
  
"I can give you a ride if you want to.", Grace politely offered.  
  
"No, you don't have to. It's okay but thanks.", Jessie began to walk backwards, "Well, bye."  
  
"Bye.", Grace replied and Jessie left.  
  
* * *  
  
Jessie still wasn't sure if the things between Eli and Grace were definetly over but now that she knew about Taylor, she didn't know what to think anymore, specially because she still got this weird vibe coming from them. But her doubts were slowly melting away, thanks to the news she heard from Zoe on the next day. At the minute Jessie walked in the house, Zoe happily informed her that Grace had gone out on a date with Taylor the night before and that they were going out again that night. Eli still wasn't aware of the situation. Jessie thought it would be better if he didn't know about it and since he was barely home, Zoe couldn't find time to tell him.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Thursday night, the usual ritual of eating chinese food. Lily went back to her routine of eating exotic foods so her meal was kinda different from the rest of the family...  
  
"Oh, Gracie!!!! I almost forgot!", Lily startled up and everybody looked at her with puzzled faces, "The summer camp!"  
  
"What about it?", Grace vaguely quizzed not very much interested.  
  
"I wanna know if you're... I don't know... if you're interested in going.", Lily trailed.  
  
Grace's brow furrowed and she gave her mother an amazed look then she spelled, "Mom, the last time I went to that stupid camp was like... like four years ago... ... I don't know why you still bother."  
  
"You used to love that place.", Lily exclaimed behind a full mouth.  
  
"I used to hate that place, mom.", Grace disputed and Jessie lightly laughed at her comment.  
  
"You don't have to give an answer right now. You've got until Monday to think about it.", Lily insisted.  
  
"There's nothing to think about.", Grace slightly groaned in annoyance.  
  
"Hey? Anybody knows where Eli is?", Rick questioned out of nowhere. The females of the house looked at each other confusingly then nodded a * I don't know.*  
  
"Anyway, Gracie?!! ... Just give it some thought, okay?", Lily couldn't drop the summer camp subject.  
  
"Mom?", Grace raised her voice a little in warning then added, "Why don't you send Zoe to that camp?"  
  
"I can't. I have plans.", Zoe seriously stated. Grace, Jessie, Rick and Lily looked at the young girl with surprised fanny faces then she finished, "Me and Anika have the whole summer planed... Sorry."  
  
Grace barely laughed, "Why do you want me so far away from home, hugh?", she insinuated jokingly.  
  
"I just think it might be fun. That's all.", Lily shrugged and right after she spoke Eli walked in the kitchen.  
  
"Eli!", Rick exclaimed and Grace felt her stomach quivering. Grace's eyes and Eli's locked for a split moment.  
  
"Anything to eat?", Eli kidded then went on, "Chinese food again?"  
  
"Um... um... I - I have - I've got something to do in my room, so...", Grace stood up and began to leave.  
  
"Gracie?!!", Lily made her turn around and come back, "Are you sure you don't wanna go?", Grace snorted annoyingly and began to walk out again, "If you change your mind!!!?"  
  
"I won't!!", she screamed from the stairs.  
  
While Lily argued with Grace, Eli went through the fridge and found some left overs, he grabbed them and excused himself, "This will do. Good night."  
  
"Eli?!", Rick called and he stepped back. "Coop called."  
  
"So?", Eli frowned.  
  
"When were you planing in telling me about your trip to Miami?", Rick asked with a serious tone in his voice.  
  
"Never.", Eli calmly answered, "Never because I'm not going."  
  
"Are you going to space sunny days, the beach, bare naked beach girls, wild parties??!!!", Rick teased, "Did aliens take over my son? Because I don't recognize him anymore."  
  
Eli faked a laugh as well as everybody then explained, "I just got back from the cabin. I got work to do, dad. I can't let Jake and Judy take care of my work . And besides, they deserved vacation too."  
  
"Oh, don't worry about Judy and Jake. I'll talk to them if you want to.", Lily jumped in the conversation, "And the last thing Judy wants now is vacation. In fact, she's looking for a reason to stay here, in Chicago... working."  
  
"Judy doesn't want to go to Australia to visit Sam?", Rick figured. Lily gasped not saying a word in reply. Eli took advantage of the moment to leave the place unnoticed. Rick and lily disputed about Sam and Judy for a whole minute then they remember what the conversation was really about, "Where's Eli?", Rick asked the girls and they told him he had just left.  
  
Lily stopped and stared at Zoe and Jessie for a while then wondered aloud, "What are we gonna do about you two?"  
  
Zoe and Jessie quickly figured that Lily was about to find some activity or trip for them to do in the summer so they abruptly popped up from their chairs, jokingly began to nod no then ran out of there. Rick and Lily exchanged glances then burst out laughing.  
  
* * *  
  
The day after at school, Grace and Taylor were talking after their last period...  
  
"I can't wait to see your dress.", Taylor smirked, placing his arm over Grace's shoulder.  
  
"Grace awkwardly smiled and slipping out of his grasp she informed, "I haven't bought the dress yet."  
  
"What? I mean, why? The prom is tomorrow night.", Taylor raised an eye brow in confusion.  
  
"You see. It's just that ... ... I wasn't planing in going, anyway. But when you asked me... I didn't know what to say so I accept it... I thought I changed my mind about it but I still don't wanna go.", Grace explained. Taylor just kept staring at her with a disappointed look on his face, "But if it is so important to you, I'll buy the dress today so we can go."  
  
"No... It is not that important to me and I don't want you to do something you don't want.", Taylor got out, "Why didn't you tell? You thought I wouldn't understand or something?"  
  
Grace shrugged her shoulders and asked, "So, it is okay if we don't go?"  
  
"Okay, okay... No, it's not.", he stated slightly smiling, "But I can't force you to do anything.  
  
Grace smiled, "Thank you."  
  
Taylor remained in silence for a minute. He had this strange look on his face, like a great idea was springing in that sick mind of his, "I've been wanting to ask you something since this whole thing between us started but I wasn't sure if I should. But now that you owe me... ... I guess it's in my right."  
  
"What is it?", Grace laughed a little unsure.  
  
"My sister... I told you about her. Well, she had this major crush on a guys who she works with.", Taylor began, "She tried everything but the guy keeps turning her down so she asked me to help her."  
  
"How?", she frowned not understanding what his sister love problems had to do with her.  
  
"She want us to go out... the four of us ... You, me, her and hr guy... So what do you say?"  
  
"A double date?", she puzzled , not very thrilled about that. But how could she say no to Taylor again? "Okay!!! When is this double date going to happen?"  
  
"Well, since we have nothing planed for tomorrow night, I though we could-"  
  
"Perfect!", Grace interrupted him, pretending excitement  
  
* * *  
  
After Taylor had talked to Grace he went home and called his sister at her work. The girl went nuts with the news. She had a hard time trying to convince the object of her idolatry to go out with her, her brother and her brother's girlfriend but the girl got what she wanted and the double date on Saturday night was up...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The clock ticked 6 p,m when Grace went down. Lily and Rick weren't aware of the prom, that's why they didn't throw on her a thousand question, asking why she wasn't going. But Grace looked very nice that night and they wondered why she was all dressed up for...  
  
"Going somewhere?", Lily quizzed.  
  
"Got a date with Taylor.", Grace vaguely answered.  
  
"Taylor ... ... again?", Lily smirked, insinuating that there was more than friendship between Grace and Taylor.  
  
"Mom, we're just friends.", Grace read her mother's mind.  
  
"I'm not saying anything. I just-", Lily was about to make one of her remarks at the exact instant they all heard a horn.  
  
"That's Taylor!", Grace stated.  
  
"He's not even going to ring the bell?", Lily made a funny face then Grace warned.  
  
"Mom, we're late. Bye!!", Grace opened the door and left.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Taylor informed Grace that they were going to a park and that they were supposed to meet his sister and her date there...  
  
So there they were, Grace and Taylor standing on the park entrance waiting for the other couple to show up...  
  
"You're sure they're coming?", Grace asked tired of waiting.  
  
"My sister would never miss the chance to spend a second with that guy... She's crazy about him. She's 21 but she's been acting like a 12 year old since she met him.", Grace wasn't very much interested in what Taylor was talking about his sister. She began to look around and turned so her back was to Taylor. She took a few footsteps away from him when he startled up exclaiming, "Grace! They're here!", Grace closed her lids for an instant then turned to see the sister and her date. Something wasn't right... ... The picture going on there wasn't right. Grace froze at the moment she turned to face them and so did the sister's date, "Grace, I want you to meet my sister, Eva.", Grace swallowed down her astonishment and horror then shook Eva's hand.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Grace.", Eva stated, "This is Eli."  
  
"Hi.", Taylor got out smiling while Eli and Grace were in complete shock. Taylor and Eva couldn't help but notice that there was something going on.  
  
"Hi, Grace.", Eli greeted her with a hearty voice.  
  
"Hello, Eli.", Grace replied as weakly as him.  
  
"Do you know each other?", Taylor asked the obvious.  
  
"He's, he's -", Grace began to stammer no knowing what to answer. What would she say? *This is Eli, my former secret lover and who happens to be my step-brother. *  
  
"She's my step-sister.", Eli sadly announced.  
  
"You gotta be kidding?", Eva excitingly laughed, "You're Zoe's sister?"  
  
"Yes, I am.", Grace tried to disguise the feeling of complete embarrassment and sadness that was crossing her entire body.  
  
"How come I never saw at the bookstore? Oh??!!! By the way, I'm the new *coffe-girl*.", Eva continued her euphoric explanation. Grace only smiled shyly. She couldn't tell them that she was avoiding to visit her dad and aunt because she didn't want to accidentally bump on Eli.  
  
"Well, since we're all in family here... ... Shall we?!", Taylor made them remember what was the reason they were there for .... have fun. But Grace and Eli knew that it wasn't going to be fun in any way at all... .... It was a torture, a torture that both knew eventually they would have to go through but they didn't expect it to happen that soon ... ...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Grace and Eli were hanging on bravely. There were the perfect performers. They incredibly played their parts in that farce while their heart were being ripped out every time they had to watch each other being hugged or caressed by Eva or Taylor, who, just for the record, were having a bless there.  
  
Three hours of pure and mean torture. Eli and Grace thought they couldn't hold on anymore, specially when they had to get in that machine and take pictures together; first the couples then the brother and sister and of course the step-brother and step-sister. But they were glad now it was about to end...  
  
"So?", Taylor smiled as they stepped out of the park, "I had fun!"  
  
"Me too!", Eva replied and the other tow just gave them weary smiles.  
  
"I just had an idea.", Taylor stopped walking making the other stop too, "My car is over. Why don't Eva and I come back home together and you two go home together?"  
  
"Yeah! Of course! You're going to the same house, we're going to the same house. It would save us time.", Eva supported her brother's idea.  
  
Grace opened her mouth to explain that her and Eli were not going to the same house because Eli was spending the night at his mother's but Eli didn't even let her begin, "It's okay by me.", he agreed.  
  
"Great!", Eva nodded, "Call me tomorrow?", she smirked and Eli nodded.  
  
"I'll cal you tomorrow.", Taylor didn't wait for Grace to ask him to, "Now, you better get going because it's going to start raining any minute."  
  
"It's going to. It is raining!", Eva stated as water began falling from the sky. They all said goodbye and Eli and Eli headed to Eli's car.  
  
The rain was pouring down very hard. Eli and Grace were soaking wet and they still hadn't gotten to the car...  
  
"Where the hell is the car?", Grace cried as they ran.  
  
"Just another block.", he answered. Eli had stopped the car like four blocks away from the park because Eva wanted them to talk. She told him it would be nice if they walked while they talked, that's why they got there almost twenty minutes late.  
  
The was in sight, at least. They ran to it and Eli grabbed his keys and unlocked it but neither of them could find strength to get in. They just stood there in the pouring rain, staring at each other. Their breathing were shortened, probably because they were running and obviously because they couldn't hold what they were feeling inside... ... Their gazes were deeply locked, nothing in the world would be able to make them break the eye contact at that moment. Eli began to walk slowly, circling the car as Grace watched him in an awe, he headed on her direction and only stopped when were face to face, a few inches away. His hands came up to her face, gently brushing her hair away. Grace closed her eyes and felt her skin burn as he touched her. She knew she couldn't resist anymore. Grace unsurely lifted her eyes and Eli could see her true feelings when he saw himself reflection on them. Biting his bottom lips he leaned in and their lips met in a deep, delight-painful kiss. Grace's arms wrapped around his shoulder allowing him closer ... ... she held him tightly as his hands caressed her back ... their lips were drinking of one another's taste and at that moment everything around them just slowed down...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Eli pulled over the car on Lily's driveway, Grace had her eyes fixed on her feet and he was blankly staring ahead ... ... They remained in silence ... no word was uttered during the way back home, they didn't even risk to cast a glance at each other. Grace took a deep breath and jumped out of the car while Eli remained still.  
  
Grace invaded her house like she was a mad girl. Lily and Rick were in the living room watching TV. They got all confused when they saw her rushing upstairs and he confusion grew when she stepped back down and made an announcement.  
  
"Grace? What happened to you, sweetie?", Lily inquired because her daughter wall wet.  
  
Grace didn't answer her mother's question but she did say something, "I'm going to the camp.", after that she blazed upstairs again.  
  
"What was that?", Rick frowned, not getting the picture.  
  
"She's going to the camp.", Lily repeated.  
  
"I heard that."  
  
* * *  
  
On Monday at school Grace did her best in escaping from talking to Taylor. She felt like she wasn't thinking very clearly, in fact, she wasn't thinking at all. She just kept seeing on her mind the picture of her and Eli kissing in the rain. It felt so good to touch him again but they hadn't spoken to each other ever since the kiss ... They both had a feeling inside that told them that it was wrong. And Grace also knew that what she was doing to Taylor wasn't good either. She couldn't fool the poor guy like that... .... give him hope. That's why she vowed to talk to him after school and put an end in whatever was going on between them once and for all... ...  
  
"Taylor!", Grace called out as Taylor closed his locker.  
  
"Hey!", he smiled widely. "Why do I get the feeling you were running away from me?"  
  
"We need to talk.", she squeezed her eyes.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?", Taylor suspiciously asked noticing the seriousness in her voice.  
  
"Can we go somewhere?", she sighed and he nodded.  
  
Grace and Taylor went to the school gym , knowing that no on would disturb them there. "So, what's up?"  
  
Grace didn't know where she should begin. She had no idea how he truly felt for her. And what if he was falling in love with her? She didn't feel the same but she didn't want to hurt him. "I'm so sorry."  
  
"You're sorry?", he got confused with her words. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Us... ... we can't be *friends* anymore."  
  
"Wait a minute? Are you breaking up with me?", he raised his voice.  
  
"I'm not breaking up with you because we were never together.", she stated.  
  
Taylor snorted a laugh then disputed, " I know things between us were not official but we were dating."  
  
"No, we were not. We were just hanging out. That's all.", she stood up and her arms flew in the air.  
  
"That's why you didn't want to go to the prom with me.", Taylor realized the obvious. "There's another guys, right?"  
  
"No! There is no other guys, Taylor.", Grace lied. "It's just that ... there is so much going on in life right now. I'm going out of town for the summer and-"  
  
"So?", he snapped disappointedly.  
  
"And-", she sighed then sympathetically lied again. "There are thousand of girls who would die to be with you. I don't want you to feel committed to me. I want you to enjoy your summer ... In my life ... now, it is not a good time for dating."  
  
"I should've known better.", Taylor snorted, standing up too. "You were never like the other girls and I guess that so called weirdness of yours was what called my attention in the first place."  
  
"Was that some kind of a complement?"  
  
"Yes, it was.", he smiled lightly. "At least this whole mess between us was wroth to help my sister, Eva... She's very excited about Eli.", he informed and Grace looked up at him with widen eyes.  
  
"Really?", she chuckled at the words. "So... I guess, I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"See you tomorrow.", he replied then Grace walked out of there.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Lily was cooking dinner when Eli got home. Rick and Jessie were in the kitchen helping her. Actually, they were only there to make sure she wasn't going to cook some exotic food again...  
  
"Hey everyone!", Eli greeted.  
  
"Hi, Eli!", Lily beamed at him and so did Jessie.  
  
"E!", his father got out.  
  
"Um... Lily?", Eli caught her and everybody else's attention.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I was wondering if that offer was still up?", Eli vaguely trailed.  
  
"What offer?", she frowned.  
  
Sticking his hands in his pockets, Eli continued, "You said you could talk to Judy and Jake about-"  
  
"You're going to Miami?", Rick interrupted, figuring what it was about.  
  
"Yeah, I am."  
  
"I thought you... well, um...", Rick mumbled out a few words.  
  
"I thought about it and realized it would be nice to go. You know. But if you don't want me to-", Eli sort of explained.  
  
"You're an adult, Eli. I can't forbid you to do anything.", Rick reasoned.  
  
"Thanks, dad ... ... ... ... ... Lily?"  
  
"Oh?!! Don't worry about it. I'll talk to them. They won't mind at all. I mean, we're all family. Right?!!", Lily happily remarked then went back to the food she was cooking and Rick left the room for a minute.  
  
"Why are you going to Miami?", Jessie asked lowly as in sharing a secret.  
  
"Because I wan-", Eli opened his mouth and begun to speak but Lily cut him.  
  
"When are you leaving?", she asked.  
  
"Um... if everything is set up on time, we're gonna leave in... ... um ... eighteen days.", Eli informed.  
  
"What a coincidence!!!!", Lily exclaimed, "Grace's leaving to her summer camp in eighteen days too."  
  
Eli's face went pale when he heard that, "Grace's going to a summer camp?"  
  
"Yes. She used to go to this camp but four years ago she decided not to go back there."  
  
"So, why is she going, anyway?", Jessie inquired, feeling Grace was leaving home because the same as Eli.  
  
"I have absolutely no idea.", Lily got out smiling. Eli lowered his eyes and he began to hear his mind screaming, saying that she was leaving because he crossed the line when he kissed her two days before. Feeling sad and hopeless, Eli excused himself and went to his garage.  
  
* * *  
  
Eighteen days seemed too long when Eli mentioned it but it wasn't. Specially when you have to plan a trip. Things in the Manning/Sammler house had been a complete craziness during those days. First the girls were at home, second lily had to help Grace with her packing... The girls was packing everything, clothes, food... furry toys, third Eli was doing hi own packing so he could help much in the house. Jessie only watched them from afar, she was the only one in the house who knew why Eli and Grace were letting everybody crazy. But as the days went by Jessie also realized that what her brother and step-sister felt for each other was something incredibly strong and that the reason why they were doing all of that was because they were trying to do what was the best for the family. Jessie was never a fan of Eli and Grace love story but now she kinda wished things were different for them, she even wished she could help but there was not much to do about the situation.  
  
It was Friday again and it was the day Grace and Eli were going away. All the family went nuts that morning. Karen had stopped by to say goodbye to her son and so did Jake, Tiffany and the Maddie. Judy offered to stay with Zoe after they had driven Grace to the bus station... ...  
  
Eli was checking his bags, making sure he wasn't leaving anything behind, .... anything besides his heart when he heard a knock on his door, "Come in."  
  
Jessie slowly opened it up, "Hey."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Everything is ready?", she tried to build up a conversation.  
  
"Looks like.", Eli said back, stretching his arms.  
  
"What time are you guys leaving?"  
  
"Oh, around four, so I guess I still have plenty of time.", Eli checked his watch and it ticked twelve-fifteen.  
  
"Are you coming with us to take Grace to the bus station?", Jessie finally got to mention her name.  
  
Eli felt chills going up and down his body every time he heard the name Grace being uttered, "No, I'm not."  
  
"So, you better hurry if you want to say good 'cause... we're leaving now."  
  
"We... talked earlier, so...", Eli lied, awkwardly sticking his hands in his back pockets.  
  
Jessie knew he was lying. He didn't want to see Grace leave, she could tell it, "I'm sorry, Eli.", Jessie got out and he frowned, "I'm sorry things didn't work out for you and-"  
  
"Eva and I had nothing in common. ", Eli interrupted Jessie, adding. He didn't know his sister was aware of what had happened between him and Grace, "Eva is nice, beautiful ... but... we tried, but it wasn't meant to be."  
  
"Right... ... ... .... Eva.", Jessie nodded and let him believe she was talking about Eva too, "Well, have a wonderful summer.", she hugged him goodbye.  
  
"You too.", they let go off each other then she left.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"I should get going.", Grace snorted when it was left ten minutes for her bus to leave.  
  
"Come here, sweetie!", Lily reached out her arms and they hugged.  
  
"Bye, Grace.", Zoe smiled and Grace hugged her too.  
  
"Enjoy the camp, Grace.", Rick fatherly placed his arms around her shoulders.  
  
When it was Jessie's turn to say goodbye, she came up with an excuse that left her alone with Grace for a few minutes, "Um... Grace, let me help you with those.", Jessie grabbed one her bags and they headed on the bus' direction.  
  
As soon as they got there, Jessie and Grace put the bags down and while they bus driver put all the other bags in the bus the two girls had a short talk...  
  
"Thanks, Jessie.", Grace stated.  
  
"You're welcome.", Jessie began, "Eli told me you guys talked this morning. That's why he didn't come. Right?"  
  
"Right.", Grace agreed then with suspicious in her eyes she listened to what Jessie went on saying.  
  
"I feel so sorry for Eli, you know.", Jessie insinuated. "He looked so sad. He's only leaving at four, you know. I didn't want to leave him alone. I wish I could have stayed with him but I have to meet Katie .... "  
  
"Sad?", Grace frowned, choking.  
  
"Didn't you notice when you talked to him?", Jessie teased, knowing Grace was lying as well as Eli.  
  
"Yeah, sort of."  
  
"I guess, it's because him and Eva are not together anymore.", Jessie went on and Grace's eyes widen in surprise. Grace had no idea things between Eva and Eli hadn't worked out. Her face turned pale as she thought of Eli. Jessie just watched her reaction in silence.  
  
All of the other kids began to get in the bus, which made Grace wake up and finally say goodbye to Jessie,. "It is time. I... I gotta go.", Jessie widely smiled then hugged Grace, who walked to the bus door right after the hug. Grace stopped near it and looked her mother's way then Jessie's.  
  
"Have fun!", Jessie cried as Grace stepped in...  
  
A few seconds later he bus drove off. Jessie reunited with her family. All four o them had their day all booked, Lily and Rick were Baby shopping, Jessie was going out with Katie and Zoe was spending the afternoon with Judy.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Grace was in the bus, her eyes were fixed on the road outside but she couldn't see anything. Her mind was racing, she couldn't stop thinking of what Jessie had told her...  
  
*Making my way downtow Walking fast, faces past And I'm homebound...*  
  
*I feel so sorry for Eli.* ... ... ... *He looked so sad.* ... ... *Eva and him are not together.*, Grace covered her ears with her hands, wishing that would make her stop listening to Jessie's words. But her hard trying was useless. Those words kept echoing in her brain over and over again...  
  
*Staring blankly ahead Just making a way Making a way through the crowd...*  
  
Grace now not only heard Jessie's words but also saw pictures of her and Eli together... Their first kiss at the lake ... all the words he whispered in her ears ... his gentle touches ... they kissing in the rain. Something didn't felt right for her ... ... her desperation grew as the bus kept moving...  
  
*And I need you And I miss you And now I wonder...*  
  
*He's only leaving at four, you know*, she heard again on her mind. "No. No. No.", Grace desperately murmured to herself then she slowly stood up. The kids in the bus looked her oddly, not understanding why she was p. Grace moved to the hall then lowly stated, "Stop this bus.", *What?!*, it was all she heard them saying. They were confused with her attitude, "Stop this bus!! Now!", she screamed as she approached the driver.  
  
"I can't do that, Miss.", the driver denied her request, thinking it was some kind of a joke, "Could you please seat down?"  
  
"NO! You gotta stop this bus right now!", Grace was becoming furious to the man.  
  
"I am not stopping the bus.", he disputed.  
  
"If you don't stop the bus I'll jump through the window. STOP THE DAMN BUS NOW!!", Grace ordered the went to one of the windows and began to punch it like a lunatic girl. Everybody there was terrified by her reaction. The bus driver didn't know what to do to contain her so he did what she ordered him to... he stopped the bus and let her out...  
  
*If I could fall into the sky Do you think time will pass me by 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles If I could just see you ... ... tonight...*  
  
Grace's feet touched the ground and the bus took off leaving her in the middle of the road. She looked around, there was no bus stop in sight so she started to run. She ran back home because she couldn't let Eli leave town without knowing that he was the reason why she still breathed...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Eli was in his garage with only the memories to keep him company. He missed her more than anything in the world... he missed her soft skin... her full lips... her warm embrace... the sweet scent of her perfume... Eli sighed not knowing what to do with his feelings, he laid back down on his bed right at the instant his room was invaded by someone...  
  
*It's always times like these When I think of you And I wondr if you ever think of me...*  
  
"Time to go, Princess!"  
  
"God! Damn you!!!", Eli popped up in surprised, "Are you crazy? You scared the hell out of me, Coop."  
  
"It's two in the afternoon, dude! It's not time for taking a nape.", Coop kidded.  
  
"You said we were leaving at four.", Eli disputed seriously.  
  
"Who cares if we leave at two, at four or at ten. We're going to Miami!!!", Coop jokingly screamed and Eli gave him a not very enthusiastic smile. "The guys waiting. Where's your stuff?"  
  
"They're here. Can you gimme a hand?", Eli mumble as they began to carry his bags out...  
  
*'Cause everything's so so wrong And I don't belong Living in your precious memories...*  
  
Grace was running as fast as her feet could go. She finally got to a bus stop, she waited there for a few minutes then got in the first bus that appeared... She took a seat and prayed to God to let her get home and find Eli still there. She looked at her watch and still left almost two hours from him to leave...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Jess, no! I'm not going.", Katie disputed in annoyance.  
  
"Please!!!", Jessie pouted.  
  
"Can't you live without this damn Cd for one day?"  
  
"Please!!", Jessie insisted, giving her sweetest smile, "It won't take too long,"  
  
Katie looked at Jessie and couldn't resist her smile, "Okay, get in the car."  
  
"Great!", Jessie beamed and they left...  
  
*'Cause I need you And I miss you And now I wonder...*  
  
Grace was at downtown, only a few blocks away from home. She was smiling feeling lighter because she would manage to find Eli home and talk to him. She was dreaming already, she saw herself in his arms, she even could feel him touching her skin. She had her eyes closed to make the sensations feel real. She was so lost in her dreams that only after some minutes she realized the bus was still stopped on the same spot it was when she closed her eyes. He smile faded right away. Grace looked outside and saw all the other cars were also motionless ... ... She was stuck on a traffic jam ... ...  
  
*If I could fall into the sky Do you think time will pass me by 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles If I could just see you ... ... tonight...*  
  
"No!", Grace cried lowly. She couldn't believe that was happening to her. She stood up na went to talk to the driver, "Sir?"  
  
"Yes, Miss."  
  
"I need to get out of the bus ... ... .... NOW!", she tried to keep her cool.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I need to get out of the bus.", she repeated.  
  
"This is not a bus stop. I can't le-"  
  
"I know but.. ... See, I feel sick ... I guess I 'm gonna vomit. Do you want me to do that right here? Because that's what going to happen if you don't let me out.", Grace lied then started to pretend she was about to throw up. The driver disgusted by the scene, opened the door. Grace rushed out and the driver and the other passengers saw she was faking... Grace ran through the stopped cars in a mad way that amazed everybody who looked her way...  
  
*And I... I don't wanna let you know I... I drown in your memory I... I don't wanna let this go I... I don't...*  
  
Eli was standing on the lawn as Wink and Ted finished putting his bags in the truck. His eyes were lost in the distance. He was standing there like he was waiting for something, Coop was right by his side; he noticed the sadness in his friends eyes so he got out, "She's not coming."  
  
Eli's face puzzled when Coop said that, "Who? You mean, Eva? We're not-"  
  
"No, not Eva.", Coop seriously made him stop talking, "Grace."  
  
Eli began to mive his mouth but no sound came out of it. He couldn't understand how copp knew about Grace, "Grace?? Why? Why would I be waiting for Grace? She's must be a thousand miles away from here by now."  
  
"I know, Eli.", Coop calmly uttered. Eli blinked a few times and Coop quickly explained, "The night you two broke up... ... you appeared at one in the morning at my house ... ... drunk as a pig... ... ... You told me everything."  
  
"But I woke up in my room. I-", Eli stammered confusedly.  
  
"Well, after a lot of crying and puking, crying and more puking ... ... you passed out and to spare you fom the embarrassment of the the morning after, I brought you home.", Coop went on, "I didn't mention anything about it because I didn't want to upst you."  
  
"Thanks, Coop.",Eli hummed weakly then he burried his face in his hands.  
  
"This trip is gonna do good to you. You'll see.", Coop remarked then said again, "She ain't coming."...  
  
*Making my way downtown Walking fast, faces past And I'm homebound...*  
  
Grace was still running through the city, *Crazy girl!!! You wanna get yourself killed?!*, some driver screamed whens he crossed a street without caring if the cars were passing or not. Grace was determinated, she needed tot alk to him but her legs were failing in keep o running so she had to slow down a little bit...  
  
*Staring blankly ahead Just making a way Making a way through the crowd  
  
And I still need you And I still miss you And now I wonder...*  
  
Grace opened a smiled at the minute she caught sight of her house and even with her legs hurtinh like hell, she went back running... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Grace ran as fast as she could and went straight to his garage, "ELI!", she cried slamming his door opened but he wasn't there. Fea crossed her heart but then she rushed into the house believing he could be there watching TV while he waited for his friends to come but... ... ... the living room was empty. "The attic.", she remembered and rushed up the stairs but getting in the attic... ... there was no one in there...  
  
*If I could fall into the sky Do you think time will pass us by 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles If I could just see you...*  
  
Grace was devastated, he heart splited in a thousand pieces, she didn't know what else to do... ... She went downstairs then headed to his garage again... She stepped in, took a good look around the place... ... Everuthing had his smell, she went through the things he had left behind... a few Cds, magazines... Her eyes were now floating in a rivr of tears and she keep walking around his room... ... She got there too late... he was gone...  
  
*If I could fall into the sky Do you think time will pass me by...*  
  
Katie pulled over on Lily's driveway, "You sould have told me we were going to see Tara before coming here.", Jessie sort of complained.  
  
"It was on the way here.", Katie exclaimed.  
  
"I left the Cd in Eli's room."  
  
"How are you supposed to gt in there? Your brother is out of town.", Katien put her hands on her waits as she stood next her car.  
  
"Eli's leaving at four but even if he wasn't... we would be able to get int."  
  
"How?"  
  
"This was supposed to be a family secret but... Eli never lock his room... and so does Lily..."...  
  
*'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles If I could just see you...*  
  
"I don't believe Lily doesn't lock the kitchen's door.", Katie said in amaziment as she and Jessie approached the garage.  
  
Jessie turned and saw the door was slightly opened. She pushed it, calling her brother, "Eli!"  
  
Their faces went pale at the picture they found in there, "Oh my God!", Katie got out as she and Jessie stared at Grace laying on Eli's bed, entwinded to one his coats, holding a picture of him... ... her face tear- stained. Grae only lifted her eyes in shame and pain to see who was disturbing her moment of dispair then she lcosed them again, letting another river falls down her cheeks...  
  
*If I could just hold you ... ... ... tonight...* 


	9. Chapter Nine

Grace was lucky that Jessie and Katie were the ones that had found her there, in Eli's room. The girls were incredibly understanding, they asked Grace nothing but if she wanted a ride back to the camp. Grace silently took their generous offer and the girls managed to get out of there before Lily and Rick could appear. Once Grace was at the camp, she had to answer a lot of questions why she had behaved so madly. The monitors even threatened to call her mother and tell her everything but Grace cleverly came up with a lie, telling them that it was a bet that she had lost and the payment was that scene on the bus. She begged them to not mentioned a word of it to Lily and also promised that something like that wouldn't happen again. Grace told them that all she was looking for was to enjoy her summer camp.  
  
* * *  
  
Two months later  
  
* * *  
  
After Katie and Jessie had dropped Grace at the camp, no word about the event was mentioned from neither of them. They spent their summer without talking, thinking, or at least, trying not to think of it and pretending that the scene with Grace had never happened. Well, certainly that was what Jessie was doing. Katie only agreed with all that because she didn't wanted to upset Jessie even more. But now that the summer break was nearly ending and that Grace and Eli would be back home soon, Katie couldn't keep on holding her million questions inside. . . She had to say something, she had to know the truth. She had to be certain if that it really was what she was thinking it was.  
  
"Okay! I can't take this anymore!", Katie burst out as she stopped walking. "We have to talk about it!"  
  
"Talk about what?", Jessie puzzled, stopping as well. Katie rolled her eyes at the question and didn't have to say another word to Jessie realize what she was talking about. "I really don't think that there is something to talk about."  
  
Jessie sated and started to walk again but suddenly Katie grabbed her arm and dragged her to sit on a bench that was a few inches away from them. "Come on , Jess! We can't ignore it forever or pretend that it didn't happened."  
  
"Why not?", Jessie got out, looking away.  
  
"We caught Grace, your stepsister, in your brother's room. . She was holding a picture of him as well as one of his coats. Crying, she was crying. . . And lying on his bed.", Katie poured out the facts.  
  
"So?", Jessie played the dumb, still not looking at her.  
  
Katie's mouth gaped in amazement, she knew that Jessie was not that naïve. The question that popped up on her head was why she was acting like that, "Isn't that obvious?? Grace certainly has feelings for Eli. And I don't mean like a sister. . I mean, all I am saying here is that considering how desperate Grace was that day, whatever it is that she feels for him. is something pretty strong.", Katie concluded and as she thought that Grace could be in love with Eli, a grin began to appear on her but it didn't last long. When she saw the expression on Jessie's face, she could that something wasn't right, "Why you're not surprised?", Jessie didn't answer, she only stared into the nothing. Katie found that behavior of Jessie's really odd. That's why she started to study Jessie's face very carefully and she kept on doing it until she came to a realization, "You knew didn't you? I mean, before we found Grace in Eli's garage, right?"  
  
Jessie took deep breath then exhaling, she muttered, "Yes, I knew."  
  
"How come you didn't tell me about it?", Katie questioned.  
  
"Because it was not my secret to tell.", Jessie disputed.  
  
"What about Eli? Does he know about Grace?? Did you tell him?", Katie insisted.  
  
"Didn't I just say that it was not my secret to tell?", Jessie retorted a little annoyed then added. "And besides, there was no need for me to tell him. . Eli has feeling for Grace too. I caught them kissing once."  
  
"Oh my God, Grace and Eli!!", Katie exclaimed, smiling widely. "Wait a minute! I thought Grace was with that Taylor guy and Eli was shagging up with that girl, Eva."  
  
"It was before Taylor and Eva.", Jessie turned to face her now. "It's confusing, I know. or, I don't know."  
  
Jessie finished and Katie remained in silence for a while, she had a look on her face that shown she was about to come up with a crazy idea or something, "I get it! Grace and Eli fought then they hooked up with those two but Grace is sorry for whatever that really happened between them, so she came back to tell Eli that she was sorry.", Jessie's brow furrowed at the fact that Katie was having too much fun with that Grace and Eli story, "You gotta tell him!"  
  
"What?", Jessie got out in surprise. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Eli! You gotta tell him that Grace came back. for him!"  
  
"No, way!", Jessie shook her no.  
  
"But-"  
  
"I don't want to get involved, Katie!", Jessie lightly shouted as an attempt to make Katie drop that thought and go on with their lives without even remembering Eli and Grace were once together.  
  
"You mean, you don't want to get involved. . more than you already are, right?", Katie reasoned and Jessie snorted heavily, feeling that maybe there was no other option than her to get involved in all that mess.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jessie and Katie went to Lily's house after that talk, they were now at the attic. Jessie was not talking much, she just kept on going through her Cds, like she was looking for something in particular but nothing seemed to please her.  
  
"Jess?", Katie cautiously called her then she continued, "I know I sort of promised that I wouldn't talk about. about. you know. I was just wondering, when are they coming back?"  
  
Jessie put down her Cds, tiredly ran her fingers through her hair, then looking at Katie, she answered, "Eli is coming in two days and Grace is coming on Sunday."  
  
"So, Eli's coming on Thursday and Grace on Sunday?!. . You think you can hide from Eli what you know? Don't you think that he deserves to know?", Katie stood up and gently took Jessie's hand.  
  
"I don't know. And about me hiding "this" from him, well, they don't really know that I know about them.", Jessie slowly walked to her bed and they both took a seat on it.  
  
"But you said that you caught them?", Katie was now confused.  
  
"I did, but they didn't see me.", Jessie uttered tired of that conversation, "The only thing that connect me to their story is that day we found Grace in Eli's room. I bet that she's not sure of anything, she just thinks that we suspect something, that's all."  
  
Katie only shook her head then looked into Jessie's eyes letting her know that it was the last time she brought that subject up and that Eli wouldn't hear a word about it from her mouth. Slowly she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Jessie's lips.  
  
* * *  
  
Karen and Henry were having lunch when they heard the front door opening. Karen looked at him confusedly because she knew Jessie was at her father's and that still left a couple of hours for Eli to arrive and that he was supposed to go to Rick's first to say hi to everyone and pick up Jessie. Karen grabbed the napkin and threw it on the table, when she was ready to get up and go see who was there, she was surprised by Eli entering the house, carrying a small backpack.  
  
"Eli!!", she got out with surprise but also with excitement then she immediately held him in her arms.  
  
"Hi, mom!!", he only breathed as the side of his mouth kicked up a little, "Hi, Henry!"  
  
"Hello, Eli!! Welcome home!", Henry replied smiling.  
  
"But ? . . What are you doing here ? I thought you'd be here around three or so?", Karen let go of him.  
  
"We came early."  
  
"Weren't you supposed to go to your father's first?", Karen frowned. Eli opened his mouth to explain why he didn't got to Rick's first but he didn't really know what to say. His mouth only kept moving and no phrase that made sense came out it. Getting the feeling that something was wrong with her son, Karen held his face and hugged him again, "I'm glad you're here!! I missed you so!!"  
  
"I missed you too, mom!", Eli wearingly smiled then stated, "I'm starving!!!", Karen and Henry smiled as he let his backpack fall to the floor then he went wash his hands and came back to table to eat lunch.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Lily, Rick, Zoe and Jessie were all having dessert when the phone ringed. Zoe popped up from her chair and rushed to answer it.  
  
"Hello?!!", Zoe exclaimed.  
  
"Um. Zoe??", Karen asked on the other line. "Is Rick there?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Can I talk to him, please?", Karen requested.  
  
Zoe walked towards Rick and extended the phone to him, saying, "It's for you. It's Karen!"  
  
"Oh! Hi, Karen!", Rick greeted her, frowning a little.  
  
"Hi!", she replied, going on, "Um. Eli's here!"  
  
"What?", the frowns of confusion on his face grew after her words. "He's back??"  
  
"Yes. And-"  
  
Rick didn't let Karen complete her thought, he interrupted her with another question, "Why is he there with you? He was supposed to come here first then he and Jessie would go to your house."  
  
"Rick, calm down! Okay!", Karen noticed he was getting angry with Eli.  
  
"I am calm.", Rick disputed and Lily and Jessie gave him a puzzled look, "Let me talk to him."  
  
"Can't, he just fell asleep. He's really tired. I don't want to assume anything before talking to him but I guess that he's in trouble. Not the kind of trouble that you're thinking. I don't know. He looks pale and very weak. He's thinner and all. There is something wrong with him.", she stated with concern.  
  
"Maybe he's sick from too much beer!", Rick kidded, not really getting worried about what his ex-wife had just told him.  
  
"I don't think so.", she stumbled in reply, "I gotta hang up. Can you drive Jessie here?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"Good. Bye, Rick", she hung up.  
  
Rick put down the phone and realized all those curious eyes on him, "Eli's at Karen's.!  
  
"He's back!", Zoe beamed at him and Jessie only rolled her eyes at it.  
  
"Yes, he is and according to Karen, he's not very well. He might be sick or something.", Rick reported casually.  
  
"What's he got?", Lily jumped in, concerning about her step-son.  
  
"I don't know. But I'm sure it's nothing serious. Jessie, come on. I will take you to you mother's."  
  
"Just gimme a minute to get my stuff, dad.", Jessie got up and went upstairs, as she gathered her stuff she couldn't help but associate Eli's sudden illness to Grace. She shrugged that thought off and went back down. Once there, she and Rick took off.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
More than two hours had passed since Eli fell asleep, Henry went to work and so did Karen, Jessie was the one in charge to check if he was okay as soon as he woke up. She was worried about him that's why she went to his room and stayed there, waiting for him to wake up.  
  
Eli exhaled heavily as he turned to the left side of the bed, his eyes slowly started to move while his lids were still shut then sluggishly he opened them. His eyes were still full of sleep, so he couldn't make out completely the image right in front of him. He blinked several times until the vision wasn't misty anymore.  
  
"Jess?", he murmured as he sat up.  
  
"Hey!", she softly smiled at him. "Welcome home!"  
  
"Hugh! Thanks!", Eli hugged his sister then fell back down. "What are you doing here?", he asked, noticing a small sign of concern on her face.  
  
"Mom said you weren't feeling very well. She and Henry went out so they asked me to keep an eye on you."  
  
"She said that?"  
  
"She did.", Jessie replied and Eli covered his eyes with his hand not believing that he couldn't hide his *condition* as well as he thought he could. "So?"  
  
"What?", he uncovered his eyes as Jessie eyed him suspiciously. "I'm okay."  
  
"Are you?"  
  
"Of course. Just tired.", he got out but by the look on her face he could see that she didn't believe him. Sitting up again, he explained. "I had to drive all the way back here."  
  
"You're saying that Ted let you drove his car? Well, that's weird because Ted never let you drive his car."  
  
"Very funny. But truthfully, he didn't have another choice. He twisted his ankle so he couldn't drive. Wink was his better choice but he was to drunk to drive, so it was either me or Coop. Have you ever seen Coop driving?", he asked sarcastically and she shook her no and he continued. "Good for you! Satisfied now?!!"  
  
"Yes!", she laughed at the funny face he made. Jessie stood up and before she could leave Eli joked a little more.  
  
"I never thought there would come the day that I would have to explain something like that to my little sister."  
  
With one foot out and one foot in, Jessie responded properly, "You better get used to it.", then she left. Eli breathed deeply than got up. He walked to his backpack and took something out. . . a picture of Grace. He looked at it and all the memories of them flashed through his eyes. He missed her more than anything in his life but he vowed he wouldn't come near he again. He vowed he would let her go and move on with his life but staring at her picture made him feel that it was something impossible for him to do.  
  
* * *  
  
"Zoe!!!", Lily called as loud as she could while she held the fridge opened. "ZOE!!!!"  
  
Zoe rushed downstairs then into the kitchen and with a puzzled face, she retorted, "I'm not deaf!!"  
  
Lily turned to face her as she closed the fridge, "Do you know what might have happened to the chocolate cake?"  
  
Zoe made a funny face then lied jokingly, "I have no idea."  
  
"Zoe!?"  
  
"I was hungry!", she disputed giving her mother her best innocent smile.  
  
"It was for Grace.", Lily gasped with her hand on her hip.  
  
"There's still some."  
  
"Ugh! What about the oth-"  
  
"Anybody home?!!", Eli walked into the house using the kitchen's door, Jessie and Coop were with him.  
  
"Eli! Come here!", Lily beamed at him then held her arms opened and then she hugged him tightly. "How are you!!"  
  
"I'm good!!", Eli smiled as he pulled away. When he looked to her face she was crying. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes!", she sniffed then looked at Coop and hugged hum too. "Coop!", Eli, Jessie , Zoe and Coop looked at her oddly. "Hey, Jessie! How is your mother?"  
  
"She's fine!", Jessie almost let out a laugh when she spoke.  
  
"What's going on here?", Eli asked as he glanced around and saw plenty of food. It seemed that she was preparing some kind of a party.  
  
"Grace arrives today!", Lily exclaimed and Eli felt something goes down his spine when he heard her name. Coop and Jessie noticed the sad look on his face. "It's a surprise!! It's not a party or anything. It's a big welcome home lunch, that's all. We had one prepared for you too, Eli, but you didn't come."  
  
"Sorry.", Eli stuttered lowly. "Um, there some stuff in the car that I need to-, ugh, um. I'll be in my room. Coop?", Eli excused himself then he and Coop left the scene. As they walked into the garage Coop spoke.  
  
"What was that? I mean, your step-mother hugged me!", Coop joked as an attempt to stray Eli's thoughts away from Grace.  
  
It didn't work but Eli answered him, "Jessie told me her emotions are . they are a little . unpredictable because of her pregnancy. Jessie said that the other day she cried when she was watching *Greg, The Bonny*"  
  
"Gee!!!", Coop kidded again. Eli faked a laugh as the only thing he could really think of was Grace. She was about to arrive and he had no idea of what to do or how to behave.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Lily was at the dining room taking a look at the table and contemplating her work when somebody came from behind her and covered her eyes. She thought it was Zoe playing with her at first but it couldn't be Zoe, she was not that tall. Then she thought of Jessie but it wasn't like her at all and there was no chance it could be Rick or Eli, the hands that were covering her eyes were too soft and smelled like sweet perfume. A wide smile appeared on Lily's face as she realized who the person behind her was.  
  
"GRACIE!!!!", Lily exclaimed with all the excitement that was in her body. The hands moved off her eyes and she turned to hug her daughter.  
  
"Mom!!", Grace softly uttered as she held her mother.  
  
"Grace!", Zoe got out as she caught vision of her sister on the corner of her eye then she rushed and hugged her too while Lily still had her arms around her.  
  
"Hey, Zoe!!", Grace smiled.  
  
Letting go of her two daughters Lily walked to the stairs and called Rick and Jessie, "Rick!!! Jessie!! Gracie's home!!, after a few seconds the two joined them downstairs.  
  
"Grace!! Welcome home!", Rick happily greeted her and hugging her as well.  
  
"Oh! Hi, Grace!", Jessie stated trying not to sound embarrassed.  
  
Grace turned and went to her, also trying to hide the awkward feeling that hung in the air between them, "Jessie!!"  
  
At the minute she greeted Jessie, she heard somebody else uttering her name, "Grace!", she heard Eli's voice, he and Coop heard when Lily shouted, calling Jessie and Rick and announcing that she had arrived, Eli wasn't sure if he was able to be near her again but he couldn't not go and join the rest of the family in her welcoming. Grace closed her eyes at that instant and prayed to God to give her strength to look at his face again, she let go of Jessie, turned and their eyes met instantly. She mouthed a *hello* to him and Coop, and to the others nothing was wrong with that scene but to Eli and Grace it was like heaven and hell. Jessie and Coop stood there and saw them trying to be strong and hide their true feelings.  
  
"Grace?!!", Lily frowned as she walked around her daughter.  
  
"What, mom?"  
  
"You're thinner!! Really thinner!", Lily stated then added, "They didn't feed you there?", all of them laughed at her comment.  
  
"They did, mom!", Grace snorted under an embarrassed laughter. "I just thought it would be nice to change a little. You know."  
  
"Well, I think you look better now. I always thought you should go on a diet.", Zoe as usually, couldn't keep her comments to herself.  
  
"Zoe!!", Grace warned and again all of them laughed.  
  
"Well, I always thought you were perfect.", Eli spoke under his breath but it wasn't low enough. All of them heard his words and the room froze after he spoke. Jessie looked away but didn't know what to say to break the silence. Lily and Rick had a confused suspicious look on their faces and also didn't know what to say after that.  
  
"I always thought you were perfect, Grace. You know, intelligent, mature, sweet. .. beautiful. But I have to confess. Girl, now you are just too damn perfect!! It's hot in here!!", Coop stated in a funny jokingly way that broke that awkward silence and at the same time saved Eli from answering a bunch of questions later.  
  
All of them laughed again, "Oh! Thanks, Coop. I think.", Grace said blushing then they all went to eat.  
  
During the lunch Lily couldn't stop asking Grace what she did at the camp, who she met, if she met anyone special. She even insinuated that Grace's changing was because she had met someone. When Lily said that, Eli almost got suffocated with the food. The woman was insatiable, now it was Eli's turned. She asked how many parties he went, what he and the guys did, if they played anywhere. The conversation was going fine, even because Coop was doing all the answering but it was until she asked Eli about girls.  
  
"Come on , Eli. Tell me. How about the girls. I can't believe that you didn't met anyone too.", Lily smirked and Grace tried to concentrate on her food.  
  
"Um. um- I-", Eli stammered as he tried to find the right words, he didn't want to lie or anything.  
  
"If he met anyone??", Coop, again didn't let him talk. "Are you crazy?? This man here is a magnet to girls. All kinds of them, tall, short, sculptural bodies, fat. All of them wanted a piece of the man here."  
  
"Mom?", Grace couldn't keep on hearing those words, so she thought of a lie to excuse herself and leave to her room, she called Lily again but her mother didn't pay attention, she was more interested in what Coop was saying.  
  
Eli and Jessie noticed Grace was about to crack, so Eli tried to shut his friend, "Coop?! he warned out loud.  
  
"What??", Coop played dumb and went on, "But. you are not going to believe this. I have to say, Mr. Sammler. I even thought that you son was switching sides."  
  
"What do you mean?", Rick frowned, laughing lightly.  
  
"He turned down each and one of them. He rejected all of those beach girls.", Coop made a sound that gave the impression he was crying. "I don't know what say. He just. None of them. Can you believe that??!!! What had happened to you man??"  
  
Eli breathed in relief when Coop told the truth. For a minute he thought that his friend was trying to make Grace jealous, which was working, but he feared that she would also hate him. Eli decided to join Coop in joke, "I told you, Coop!! I am saving myself for God!!", for a second the family seemed to actually believe but then they remembered who Eli was so they all burst out laughing.  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
The lunch ended up being not as bad as Eli thought it would be. Things between him and Grace were still blurry and they would still be for a very long time but they managed to be near each other in public. But although he was proud of himself he made it, he also felt more lonely than ever. The truth was still there, his feelings for her were still there and there was no amount of jokes and lies would be able to change that. So, now he was sitting on the floor of his garage. no light was on, it was past midnight and he didn't need any light. Light reminded him of her, because to him she was the thing that filled his life with the brightest light.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Grace was in her room, she was still unpacking. It was really late for her to be doing that but she didn't mind, she needed something to keep her from thinking of Eli, from thinking about the way she felt when she saw him again, when her eyes locked with his. She still felt the same way and that moment she regretted deeply the decision of breaking up with him. When she was at the camp she asked herself thousand times again if she had done the right thing. She had waited so long to have him and give up on him like that, sometimes seemed stupid. But when she remembered of her mother and that they were going to have a brother or a sister in common, it terrified her. She was scared and in love. Why love had to be so difficult for her?? She couldn't say. She never really understood why she couldn't fall in love for a normal guy. So now, she was alone again and she was pretty sure that nothing in the world would change that. She was sure that was she felt for Eli was something that no man or time or anything could make go away. She wanted to see him, she wanted to talk to him but what would she say to him? She had to be near him. Grace silently made her way out of her room then down to the stairs, she didn't turn any light on, she just walked out to his garage. She stood there and stared at his closed door, her heart told her to knock or just get in and kiss him and tell him that she never stopped loving him but her brain often won over her heart. So she just stayed there, she made her best to not make any sound as she took a seat on the floor and rested her head on his door, just being there, just knowing that he was behind that door made her feel that maybe it was not the end. . even given the givens. 


	10. Chapter ten

Author's note: Hey everybody!! First of all I wanna say that I am deeply sorry for the things I posted here. I shouldn't have. What happened to me was that when I read those bad reviews I was feeling down and sad and they made more miserable than I already was. So I freaked out and wrote those things. I am sorry for that. But I am not that sorry because you guys supported me. You said really nice things about my story. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! I tried to pay more attention to the grammar; I don't if I succeeded, though. Again, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH!!! And sorry for making you guys wait for this chapter. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoying writing it.  
  
P.S: Thank you, Tweeky for the tips.  
  
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Grace spent most part of the night sitting outside Eli's door. Although she was very tired, she didn't fall asleep there, not even once. She was too worried and too scared to allow herself to make such a big mistake. What if she fell asleep there and Eli caught her outside his door? Or even worse, what if her mother or her stepfather caught her there? Thinking about all the tragic consequences of being there, Grace made her way back to her room before the first sunlight appeared. She quietly crept up to her room, lay on her bed and stayed there until it was time to get up...  
  
Lily and Rick were at the kitchen, it was about a quarter to eight in the morning, "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?', Rick placed his hands around Lily's hips, pulling her closer to him.  
  
Lily smiled at his move, saying, "I'm sure! I can do it alone."  
  
"But I want to go with you. It's my Baby too. Did you know that?", he kissed her lips.  
  
"This ain't gonna work.", she pulled back then continued, "You gotta go to work. Or have you forgotten that you have seven mouths to feed?"  
  
"Sometimes I wish I have.", he kidded back at the right moment Grace walked in the scene.  
  
"Gracie!!!", Lily beamed at her as she reached for her purse that was over the island.  
  
"Good morning!", Grace exhaled, not as excited as her mother then headed to the fridge.  
  
"Morning!", Rick replied.  
  
"Grace?! Here!", Lily took out her car keys and threw them to Grace, who caught them as frowns appeared on her face.  
  
"What are these for?", Grace asked displaying the keys.  
  
"In case you need the car...", Lily shortly explained and Grace only mouthed an *oh*, "Rick, hurry!! We gotta go."  
  
"Where you're going?"  
  
"I am going to work.", Rick stated glancing over Lily.  
  
"I've got a doctor's appointment. To check if everything is okay with the Baby.", Lily said, placing her both hands on her womb.  
  
Grace snorted a smile at it and tried to joke a little, "Well, I don't know about the rest but the Baby is probably very healthy. I mean, It's sure being well too fed."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?", Lily gasped jokingly at her daughter's subtle insinuation that she was fat.  
  
"Nothing.", Grace stumbled, slightly laughing.  
  
"Can we go?', Rick remarked.  
  
"Oh?!!! I almost forgot. Grace, Jake is coming to pick you and Zoe. He's going to take you guys out. Don't ask me where. He's going to be here around nine or so. Okay?? Gotta go!", Lily waved to her daughter then she and Rick took off. After Grace watched the door close behind them, she looked down and for an instant wondered why Lily gave her the car keys. If she was going out with her father why would she need her mother's car for?? She shrugged that thought off and poured some milk.  
  
"Good morning!!", Jessie lowly spoke as she entered the kitchen.  
  
"Morning!", Grace replied and immediately felt the awkwardness of being alone with Jessie. Truth was they never talked about that day in Eli's room. "I. I. I guess I owe you an explan-"  
  
"Where are they?? They left already?", Jessie could feel what Grace was about to do and for some reason she didn't want to talk about what had happened. She truly didn't want to be involved in Grace and Eli's situation, so the best to do was act like she didn't know anything. "I mean, my dad and your mom."  
  
Grace was a little surprised seeing that Jessie was avoiding that conversation as much as she was and for a minute she disconnected herself from the world as she wondered why Jessie was being so *nice* to her. "Oh! Um. Rick went to work and my mom went to the doctor. Jessie, this is something I so don't wanna talk about but, I mean, I think we shou-"  
  
"Mom!!", Grace was interrupted by Zoe, who was coming down for breakfast.  
  
"Hey, Zoe!!", Jessie greeted her smiling. Smiling not because she was actually happy to her stepsister but because Zoe had just saved her from one of the most embarrassing conversations ever. "Lily went to the doctor."  
  
"Oh!", Zoe made a funny face, not getting why Jessie was so thrilled to see her. "Grace?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Mom talked to you?", Zoe asked as she poured some cereal in her bowl.  
  
"You mean, if she told me dad is coming to pick us up?", Grace guessed and Zoe nodded in agreement. "Yes, she told me."  
  
"I can't believe that this our last week of vacation." Jessie tried to start a very casual conversation, which worked because Grace replied her instantly.  
  
"To be honest, I can't wait to get back to school.", Grace got out as she played with her mother's keys and Zoe and Jessie gave her an amazed look. "What?"  
  
"Why a seventeen year old person would be dying to go back studying?", Jessie sarcastically remarked.  
  
"I'm not dying to go back studying. It's just that I-"  
  
"Good morning!", it seemed like it wasn't going to be a great day for Grace. This time the one to interrupt her was Eli. Her heart ached every time she heard him utter her name. Zoe and Jessie greeted him back as Grace awkwardly tried to remember what she was about to say. Eli glanced over her and felt that his presence disturbed her in a way that not even him could imagine. He grabbed a bowl and took a seat by Grace and as he sat down, he intentionally let his forearm touch hers.  
  
Grace pulled back her chair instantly and stood up, "I gotta go."  
  
"Go? Go where?", Zoe confusedly asked.  
  
"It's non of your business.", Grace annoyingly stated while Jessie and Eli watched her weird reaction.  
  
"But what about dad? He's getting here any minute?", Zoe reminded her very nervous sister.  
  
"Tell him I had something to do and that I will see him later.", Grace finished and with her mother's keys in her hand she ran out of there as quickly as she could. Eli and Jessie knew why Grace did that. She didn't want to be near him.  
  
"She's different.", Zoe muttered with her mouth still full. "She's weird different.", Eli heard that and couldn't help but feel responsible. He sighed heavily, stood up and left as well. Jessie noticed the sad look on his face and the feeling of wanting to help him started to overcome her heart. He was he brother and if he was suffering, she was sort of suffering too.  
  
"Why are they so different?", Zoe asked after a few minutes of silence.  
  
Jessie had feel deep in thought and her brain couldn't grasp Zoe's question right away. Jessie blinked a few times then stammered. "Wh- what?"  
  
"Grace and Eli? Haven't you noticed?", Zoe stood up and placed her bowl in the sink. "They're like two strangers. They are acting really, really weird."  
  
Jessie gasped at herself a little then stood up as well. "You're imagining things, Zoe. They're not. . weird."  
  
"Weird or not, dad is gonna be very pissed 'cause Grace is not here.", Zoe didn't have to wait too much long to prove she was right. Jake walked into the house using the kitchen's door as usual, right after Zoe spoke. As his foot touched the place the girls gave him an odd look, which made him noticed something wasn't right.  
  
The smile on Jake's face faded as the two of them awkwardly stared at him. "What?? Is everything alright?? Where's Grace?", Zoe and Jessie exchanged looks then Jessie quietly left the kitchen as Zoe sighed before telling her father Grace wasn't there.  
  
*  
  
* *  
  
After almost four hours driving around the city, Grace went to BookLovers to see if her father was there. After parking on the street she waited another hour to get in. She knew what time Eli would be out and she thought it would the perfect time see Jake. Grace checked her watch again and got out of the car then headed into the place. As she got in Judy startled up with excitement and went greet her.  
  
"Grace!!!", Judy beamed widely smiling. Grace walked in her direction and they hugged.  
  
"Hi, Judy!"  
  
"Sorry I couldn't be there yesterday. I needed to take care of something.", Judy pulled back and vaguely explained.  
  
"It's okay. Um. is my father around? I need to talk to him.", Grace stumbled, glancing around, searching for Jake.  
  
"You just missed him.", Judy raised her eyebrows a little.  
  
"Oh.", Grace snorted with a sad face then started staring at her shoes. Judy noticing that asked.  
  
"Is. is everything alright, Grace? I mean, Jake told me you guys were supposed to go out this morning but you bailed on him and-"  
  
"I had something important to do. And *yes*, everything is perfectly fine.", Grace interrupted Judy before she could go any further in her questioning. "I'm gonna go."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Great seeing you again. Bye, Judy.", Grace practically ran out of there, leaving a very confused Judy behind.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Grace instead of heading home she went to her father's; she really needed to talk to him. Grace felt bad she had spent the last two months out of town and now she was back she didn't even consider spending some quality time with her father. She wanted to tell him she was sorry and that she didn't mean to be distant like that.  
  
Tiffany was changing Maddie's dippers when she heard her door being opened. She quickly finished and grabbed Maddie then headed to the living room, "Jake??", she called assuming it was her husband but when she got there she saw it was her stepdaughter instead. "Oh! Grace!! Hi!!"  
  
"Hi, Tiffany.", Grace smiled at her a little embarrassed then went hold her half sister. "Hi, Maddie. How you're doing?? Did you miss me??"  
  
Tiffany smiled warmly at her act and watched her for a while. Putting Maddie down Grace asked. "Do you know where dad is?"  
  
"Yes, I do.", Tiffany answered, looking down. "He went to drop Zoe at your house."  
  
"I see."  
  
"He's very upset, you know.", Tiffany stated now studying Grace's face, like she was looking for something that was right there, written on her face but for some reason, no one could see it. "We were out of town yesterday. That's why he couldn't be at your welcome party and-"  
  
"It wasn't a party."  
  
"He misses you so much.", Tiffany finished and the two of them feel in silence. Grace didn't know what to say. Tiffany could see by the look on her face that something wasn't right. "Grace, I know I am not your mother but . . I want you to know that you can count on me. You can talk to me . . . about anything.", Grace started nodding after Tiffany's words and she no longer could hold her tears. "Grace!! Oh my God!! Grace!! Grace!!!?"  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to leave without dad this morning.", Grace said under her crying. "But he was there. And, and . . He was there!! And I couldn't . and, and. . It hurts, you know. It hurts so bad!!!"  
  
Tiffany felt sorry for her stepdaughter. Grace seemed so confused, lost and deep in pain. Tiffany didn't know what to do to help her. "Grace?? What are you talking about?? Who is he?? Grace??"  
  
"I wanna stop but I can't.", Grace whispered one last time then she started to wipe her tears away.  
  
"Stop what?? What are you talking about?? What's wrong??", Tiffany was getting panic. She felt nothing she could do would be able to help Grace.  
  
Grace took a deep breath to try to calm herself down a little. "Can I spend this week here with you and dad??"  
  
"Of course, honey!! This is your house too. You don't have to ask that.", Tiffany softly stated.  
  
"Okay. I'm gonna drop my mom's car at her work then I'll come back here.", Grace sniffed one more time then continued. "Please, don't tell my father about, about-"  
  
"Don't worry. I won't tell him a thing.", Tiffany assured her.  
  
"Thanks.", Grace snorted a goodbye then left.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Grace drove to her mother's work and let her know she was staying the whole week with Jake. Lily thought it was a bit odd because Grace was supposed to spend the week with her and Rick. She even pleaded with her daughter saying she wanted them to be together in those few days left of her vacation. Grace said she wanted that too but she had screwed up with her father that morning and that she wanted to make it up to him. Lily wasn't really cool with that but she had to just nod in agreement and accept it. *Jake is her father. He deserves to be with her.*, Lily reasoned to herself while Grace informed her she would be home on Sunday night.  
  
Before Grace left she asked how the doctor appointment was. Lily told her everything was terrific and that the Baby was very healthy. She also told Grace that she already knew if It was a boy or a girl. Lily jokingly made a little suspense around it and she almost got Grace begging her to tell her if she was going to have a Baby brother or another Baby sister. Lily got tired of that little game she was playing and proudly announced to her daughter she was going to have a Baby girl. Grace jumped up and down with excitement. She was truly happy It was another girl. But Grace sort of stated her concerns towards Rick's reaction. She knew he was expecting a boy not a girl. But Lily eased her concerns by telling her Rick loved being surrounded by women and that he would love the idea of having another one joining his private *harem*. Grace laughed at her mother jokingly behavior then finally went back to Jake's house.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
When Lily got home she announced to the family she was having a girl. Zoe and Jessie got thrilled with the fact of having a Baby Sister to spoil as much as they wanted. Eli was not very excited, though. He sort of expected a Baby Brother because she felt like he was the odd man out of the house. But deep inside, he loved having a Baby sister. Rick was stunned with the news. He couldn't contain his happiness to himself. He walked to Lily, got down on his knees, gently placed his hands on her womb then kissed it softly while a tear escaped from his eye.  
  
"We gotta think of a name for her.", Lily gently uttered as Rick got back up on his feet.  
  
He was silent for a moment then smiling he said. "Her name is going to be Amanda.", Lily smiled back at him, letting him know she had loved the name then kissed her husband.  
  
That entire scene was very touching but Zoe noticed there was something or someone missing. She asked if anyone knew where Grace was. She said that Grace left early in the morning and still hadn't shown any signs of being alive. Lily made a funny face and informed them that Grace was at Jake's and that she was spending the week there. Zoe mumbled a complaining and even argued that she wanted to be with her father to but Lily didn't pay much attention to her. While Zoe argued and Lily pretended to listen to her Jessie clearly noticed the disappointment stained on Eli's face, Eli knew why Grace wanted to be away and to tell the truth, if Grace hadn't taken the first step on avoiding awkward and painful encounters between the two of them, he would, sooner or later. And that was exactly what he did. On Sunday, at the moment Grace walked in through one door, Eli walked out through another.  
  
The next day seemed pretty normal. The girls were back at school and life seemed to restart. Grace was thrilled, or at least tried to look like she was, because she was finally a senior. She vowed she would be the top student of her class. She even signed to work on the school paper; she got to be the new Editor. She was very excited about that. As for Eli, he continued with his so-called life. It was always from home to BookLovers, from BookLovers to practice then to home again. His band played on two college parties that week, though.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Things for the Manning/Sammler family were kind of tumultuate. September was gone and they barely even noticed it. That month was kind of crazy for all of them. Another thing they didn't notice was how the relationship between Eli and Grace was being played out. Things between them were like this, if Grace was spending the week with her mother, Eli stayed at Karen's and if Eli was with his father, Grace stayed with Jake and Tiffany. Jessie knew exactly what was going on but since was no longer *involved* in whatever was going on between them, she was pretty okay with that situation, although sometimes she caught herself wishing things were different for the. And as for the others in the house, maybe the did notice something was definitely wrong about their behavior but maybe they were too busy to voice their thoughts or even vowed to stay out of their lives because every time they tried to help them, they somehow ended up making things worse.  
  
* * *  
  
Saturday evening, everyone was at home, including Eli and Grace. They were all there for one reason; Barbara had spent the whole week with them and she would be leaving at the first hour on Sunday. Lily and Judy wanted to have a goodbye dinner. That was why they needed everybody there, even Jake, Maddie and Tiffany. Jessie invited Katie fearing she would be bored after the first five minutes of dinner and Eli fearing the same invited Coop as well.  
  
"What time are you leaving, mom??", Judy asked while the others quietly enjoyed their dinner.  
  
"Leaving??", Barbara frowned a littler confused. Everyone exchanged glances then Judy asked her again.  
  
"You know. What time you're going back. to, to our house?"  
  
Barbara still seemed a little confused. She put down her fork and with her hands under the table she unfold a small piece of paper then pretending to grab her napkin, she read what was written on it. "Um. I'm leaving at nine o'clock."  
  
"Oh!", Judy only snorted as Lily watched her mother. Lily and Rick knew what time she had to leave but choose to remain in silence, she didn't want her mother to feel embarrassed in front of all that people.  
  
"Dessert anyone?!!", said Lily after a few minutes of complete silence. Lily asked Judy to help her with everything in the kitchen. While the two were in there they discussed if it was a good idea letting Barbara go back home. Both of them agreed it was not but they couldn't go against their mother's will. They had to respect and give her some credit. Barbara was trying hard to adjust to her *situation*, she was living with a nurse now because she didn't want to be a problem for her daughters. The discussion ended and Lily and Judy served the dessert.  
  
"I guess I should get going.", Katie muttered to Jessie, who seemed not to be very thrilled about it.  
  
"Please, don't leave now. Don't leave me alone here.", Jessie sort of joked then gave Katie her best puppy smile.  
  
"Sorry, I can't. I promised my mother I would be home before nine."  
  
"Okay!!", Jessie agreed, standing up. "Lily, Katie is leaving."  
  
"Oh, it's too early. Stay a little more.", Lily politely requested.  
  
"I can't.", Katie shortly replied, placing her purse over her shoulder.  
  
"Okay, bye!!", Lily said and all the others did the same.  
  
While Jessie was outside saying goodbye to Katie, Eli stood up and announced he and Coop were going to his garage. Eli mumbled a goodbye to Barbara and waited for Coop who out of the sudden stopped in the middle of the living room.  
  
"Um. Grace?", Coop called Grace and everybody's attention.  
  
"Yes?", Grace answered at the moment Jessie went back inside.  
  
"I was thinking. Umm. do you have plans for tomorrow night??", Coop asked as everybody's eyes stated at him in a awe.  
  
"May I ask why you wanna know this?", Grace suspiciously asked.  
  
"Coop??", Eli called, his voice had this serious, warning tone.  
  
"Just a sec, Eli. Um, I was wondering if you would like to watch us rehearse or something.", Coop sort of invited her.  
  
Eli was standing on the kitchen's doorway and couldn't believe his ears after his friend spoke. "Coop?!!!!", he called once again but this time his voice was filled with a little bit of anger.  
  
"I'm coming!!", Coop cried back. "He's so impatient. Now, Grace, do you wanna go?"  
  
"Umn. I, I. ", Grace thought that the only reason Coop was inviting her to their rehearsal was because Eli had told him to and now she was trying to find the perfect words to say *no*. "Um.., You know, I'd love to but I'm kinda busy with the school paper right now. I still have to finish an article. But thank you for inviting me."  
  
Eli was relieved to hear that Grace didn't accept the invitation. He thought his friends would be satisfied and leave but Coop didn't do it, he began to insist with Grace. He said that they rehearse four days a week and that she was welcome to stop by any time. Eli was getting real nervous with that situation; so one last time he called his very nosy friend, "COOP!!"  
  
Coop could hear the anger in his voice and so did the others in there, "I guess I better go. Don't forget Grace, you're welcome to watch our rehearsal any-"  
  
"COOP!!!", they heard Eli yell again. Coop made a funny face, waved to everyone and headed to the garage. Eli was standing on his doorway when Coop got there; he grabbed his arms and pushed him into the room.  
  
"Hey man!! Easy!!", Coop stumbled while Eli closed the door.  
  
"What the hell was that??", Eli asked, trying to keep his cool.  
  
"What was what??", Coop played the dumb, pretending not to know what he was talking about.  
  
"What did you think you were doing??", Eli raised his voice.  
  
"I was inviting Grace to the band rehearsal.", Coop said as if it was the most normal thing to do.  
  
"Are you insane?? "  
  
"No!! I just thought it would be a perfect time for you two to talk.", Coop began to explain his reasons. "I thought if you two ere out of here, maybe, maybe-"  
  
"Maybe nothing.", Eli interrupted him, giving him a deadly look.  
  
"I'm sorry, man. I was jus trying to help."  
  
"Well, next time don't!", Eli said, his voice sounded a little more calm now. "I told you, Coop. Things between be and Grace are over. We're done. This whole thing we started was wrong. And I'm glad things ended up this way. It's been more than three months now and we sort of come up with a way to coexist. I don't want to go back."  
  
"K. Sorry.", Coop apologized one more time. But her could feel that his friend was lying but what else could he do??  
  
* * *  
  
Monday after the school bell rang; Jessie went to meet Katie as usual. When the two girls were walking to Katie's car they were stopped by a voice calling Jessie's name.  
  
"Jessie!!! Wait!!", the girls turned around to see who was calling and saw Coop running on their direction.  
  
"Coop?", Jessie frowned, not understanding what he was doing at her school. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Hey, Katie!", Coop said trying to catch his breath then taking out a letter from his back pockets he spoke again. "I need you to give this to Grace.", Jessie and Katie exchanges confused looks while Coop stood there, still handing the letter to her. "Please!!"  
  
Hesitating a littler, Jessie took the letter and asked, "Does Eli know about this??"  
  
"Are you kidding??", Coop laughed a littler and the confusion on their minds grew.  
  
"Why not?", Katie jumped in.  
  
"Because I don't think Eli would very cool with the fact I'm hitting on his stepsister", Coop lied, he didn't know Jessie and Katie were aware of Eli and Grace's situation.  
  
"You're saying. . you're saying that you have some kind of feeling for, for Grace??", Jessie confusedly stumbled while Katie couldn't keep her mouth closed.  
  
"Yeah!! Why??", Coop noticed there was something unusual the way Jessie asked him that question but his brain was not fast enough to realize what caused their surprise. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
"No. No, nothing's wrong.", Katie quickly replied as Jessie still tried to grasp all that information. "We'll give it to her.", Katie grabbed the letter from Jessie's hand and threw in her bag and stuttered a clumsily goodbye then dragged Jessie into the car.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
The girls were at the attic now; Jessie had the letter Coop gave her in her hand. "I still can't believe Coop is interested in Grace."  
  
"Everything is possible.", Katie stated. "What are you gonna do?"  
  
"I don't know. I mean, am I betraying y brother if give this to her??", Jessie was extremely confused and that wasn't all, what she most feared had happened , she once again were involved in Grace and Eli's relationship. "What a cliché!! My brother's best friend is in love with his ex- girlfriend. I can't do this."  
  
"You can't not give it her.", Katie remarked then said. "Come on, give it to me."  
  
"What? What are you gonna do?"  
  
"Grace's home. I'm gonna go down and give her this damn letter.", Katie took the letter in her hand then stood up.  
  
"What if she asked who sent it??", Jessie quizzed still thinking it wasn't a good idea.  
  
"I'll just tell her she has a secret admirer.", with that Katie left the attic and went straight to Grace's door. She waited a second and knocked.  
  
Grace was writing a new article when she heard the knock, "It's opened!", Katie slowly opened the door and said *hi*. "Oh, hi!"  
  
"Um. this is for you.", Katie placed the letter next to her computer.  
  
"A letter??", Grace found it odd.  
  
"Don't ask who sent it or what it is about, I don't know. My job was to deliver it and it's delivered.", Katie didn't say much and began to leave.  
  
Before she closed the door Grace stated, "Thank you!!"  
  
Grace stared at the letter for a while, she was questioning herself if she should open it or not. She feared deep down it was from Eli. She held it in her hands while still questioning herself then put it back on the table and tried to concentrate in her article. But that was a very hard task for her to accomplish, all she could think of was the letter. She took a deep breath and opened it. Her face fell in confusion as she read it. There were not many words in it, just a few and an address.  
  
"What does it mean?", Grace wondered then read the letter one more time but this time she read it aloud. "You know me but I am not who you thin I am. All I can is that I am a friend. Listen to your heart just one more and come to this address on Friday, around 9 or 10 pm. Please be there.", Grace put it down again and wonder what to do.  
  
* * *  
  
That week flew away really fast, it was Friday already. Grace did her best not to think about the letter. She vowed she wouldn't go to that address, she was afraid and she had reasons for that. What if it was joke?? Or what if it was a set up??? Maybe she would be in trouble if she went. She was lying on her bed, it was almost eight-thirty Lily and Rick were out. Zoe was spending the night at a friend's, Jessie was with Katie and Eli was at Karen's, she was all alone in the house. She stood up and opened one of her drawers then took the letter out, she read it again and something hit her; the address was not totally unknown. She searched in her head where she had heard of that street before was that when she remembered, it was the same street that Christine, Mr. Dimitri's friend lived.  
  
"No, it can't be.", she whispered to herself when she thought it had something to do with Mr. Dimitri. "You're crazy Grace!!", she put the letter back in the drawer and went downstairs to watch some Tv.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Eli was at Coop's rehearsing. They were finishing some new songs and playing some songs from other bands. "Coop, why do you want us to play that song?? You know I don't like it."  
  
"Come on, Eli. It's a nice song. chicks love it!!", Coop kidded and Wink and Ted laughed. "And I know you can play it!!! You know the lyrics, don't you?", they all started to mock him about it.  
  
"Very funny!!", Eli made an annoyed face. It was true, he did know the lyrics. Actually, this particular meant a lot him; it made him remind of the he loved most and couldn't have. That's why he didn't want to sing it. . It would pain him so much if he did. "Yeah, I know."  
  
"Come, it's not like it's gonna hurt if you play it.", Ted jokingly stated and he only nodded bitterly.  
  
"Shut up, Ted!!", Coop ordered.  
  
"What did I do??"  
  
"Okay, okay! I'll play the song with you.. . But not now. First we gotta practice these three new songs a few more times.", Eli agreed.  
  
"You're the boss!!", Wink smiled and they started playing again.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Grace pulled over the car next to the sidewalk. "I can't believe I'm here.", she said to herself while she took a look around. It was definitely Christine's neighborhood, Grace caught vision of her house across the street. "Okay, you're here, Grace Manning. You can't stay all night in the car.", She said those words to encourage herself to find the house she was supposed to go. She closed her eyes really tight, took a deep breath and step out of the car.  
  
~  
  
~ ~  
  
"Eli?? Ready?!!!, Coop asked and the first notes for the song Eli didn't want to play came out of his guitar then with his eyes close he began singing.  
  
*If I give up on you, I give up on me  
  
If we fight what's true, will we ever be  
  
Even God Himself and the faith I knew  
  
Shouldn't hold me back, shouldn't keep me from you.*  
. Grace found the house; she looked at it and walked to the door then ran the bell.  
  
"Yes??", a lady around her mother's age answered. Grace kept moving her mouth but didn't know exactly what to say. The lady smile and said, "You're Grace, aren't you?"  
  
"Wha- what?? I mean, yes, I am. ", Grace was surprised. How come the lady could know her name?  
  
"Follow me. They're waiting for you.", Grace walked in and followed her, her mind even more full with questions than before.  
*Tease me by holding out your hands  
  
Then leave me or take me as I am.*  
As the lady led her to the basement, Grace start listening to a song, it kept getting stronger and stronger as she approached the place.  
  
"They're in there. You can come in.", the lady smiled at her and left.  
  
Grace didn't know what to do but her heart recognized the voice that was singing. She didn't come in, she stayed outside the door and glued her ear on it and listened the song a little more.  
*And live our lives, stigmatized  
I can feel the blood rushing through my veins  
  
When I hear your voice driving me insane  
  
Hour after hour, day after day  
  
Every lonely night that I sit and pray.*  
.Grace couldn't hold on anymore, she slowly opened the door and quietly crept down the stairs, she caught vision of Eli right away; her face was stained with tears. Coop, Ted an Wink saw her as she came in but Eli didn't, he had his eyes closed, eh only kept on singing.  
  
*Tease me by holding out your hand  
  
Then leave me or take me as I am  
  
And live our lives, stigmatized  
  
Yeah, yeah, yeah.  
We live our lives on different sides  
  
But we keep together you and I  
  
Just live our lives, stigmatized.*  
.Eli feeling something was different, slowly opened up his eyes and the first thing he saw was Grace's face, she was crying. He was stunned to see her there but not very surprised. Now everything made sense. The reason why Coop and the guys insisted for him to sing that song, everything. He looked at his band mates and they all had this smirk on their lips, they were glad she was there.  
  
Grace also understood what the letter was about and she didn't know that Coop, Ted and Wink were responsible for that meeting but she didn't care much. All she could see, all she could listen to was the words Eli was singing..  
  
*We're gonna live our lives, we'll take the punches everyday  
  
We're gonna live our lives, I know we're gonna find our way  
I believe I you  
  
Even if no one understands.*  
  
. Eli stopped singing, he couldn't. He felt something in his throat. He stared Grace intensively and all he wanted to do was have her in his arms. He step aside and took his guitar off of his shoulder, when he did that, Coop took the microphone and keep on singing the song while Eli slowly walked in Grace's direction.  
  
* I believe in you, and I don't really give a damn.*  
  
. Eli and Grace were face to face; he looked down at her lips then up into her eyes, she softly smiled at him and he gently cupped her face in his hands then passionately kissed her. The guys looked at each other and smiled widely, their plan had worked and Eli and Grace were back together.  
  
*Oh!! Stigmatized!!! Yeah, yeah, yeah  
  
We live our lives on different sides  
  
But we keep together you and I  
  
We live our lives on different sides  
We're gonna live our lives  
  
Gotta live our lives  
  
We're gonna live our lives  
  
We're gonna live our lives  
  
Gonna live our lives, yeah.  
  
STIGMATIZED.* 


End file.
